A CORONER issued a plea to parents about bullying at the end of a tense hearing into the tragic death of schoolboy Reginald Grist.

Minutes after the coroner recorded a verdict of "misadventure" friends and relatives of the Grist family vented their anger outside the courtroom.

Reginald's mother refused to comment on the finding while people surrounding her swore at waiting reporters and cameramen.

One woman swung out at a photographer with a bag and others criticised the coroner's verdict.

Ann Grist said: "I really have nothing to say about the verdict.

"All I want to do at the moment is go home to my children so we can get on with our lives."

The widow, who has five other children, listened impassively in court as the coroner wound up the dramatic two day hearing. Mrs Grist revealed during the hearing that the boy who threw the stone which resulted in her son's death had been a friend of the Grist family for over 10 years.

She said "He had stayed at our house three days before the trouble started.

"I didn't know anything about this incident until the Monday. The first thing I knew was when Reginald was in hospital.

"He had come over the week before to watch a film and everything seemed all right and I don't know how this happened."

Elliot Taylforth, a spokesman for the family of the boy accused of throwing the stone, said: "This has been a very traumatic experience for all the parties involved.

"This lad is only 13 years old and the whole experience is bound to have had some affect of him."

The youngster originally charged with causing grievous bodily harm has since moved out of the area.

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