Harrowing images of Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend Robert Maltby in their hospital beds have been released by their families and police.

Lancashire Police said that they, along with the victim's parents, wanted to show the true horror of the injuries following the attack in Stubbylee Park, Bacup.

The hospital pictures were taken just 48 hours after the attack.

Sophie was in a deep coma from which she never recovered.

She had 17 different injuries including bruises to her arms where she tried to defend her self and a gash on her head where she was kicked with enough force to split the scalp through her thick dreadlocks.

Robert, a door packer, has still not recovered fully from the attack.