NINE years to the day that her teenage son suddenly died, a mum has been forced to move his memorial bench after vandals repeatedly targeted it.
Thugs have spat on and gouged the tribute to Jamie Coffey, who died suddenly while playing football aged just 17.
The Bishop's Cleeve teenager collapsed during a kickabout with friends on 22 July 2004. The memorial bench was placed at Millham Road park in November 2004, less than 50 yards from where he died.
Mum Josephine, who moved to the village 13 years ago, said she was verbally abused after she told drug users to move away from the bench when she spotted them two weeks ago.
She went back to the bench the next day to find spit all over the bench and drug packets on the ground next to it, with rubbish from a tipped-over bin strewn around the site.
After a second case of vandalism last Tuesday, in which the bench was gouged and scratched, she reported it to the police. She then sanded down the scratches and painted the bench to make it look better.
But she has now decided to uproot the bench and move it into her back garden to prevent it from being vandalised again.
Ms Coffey said: "It's a real shame. There has been a lot of problems over there. I really don't want it to spoil the memory of my son.
"It's just disgusting for them to cause all these problems. When I approached them to get away from the bench, they just shouted all sorts of vulgarities at me.
"This is my son, and I have no problems with people sitting on it, as long as they don't spoil it.
"I've had so much abuse." Former St Benedict's Catholic High School pupil Jamie died from a heart defect known as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
Minutes after the athletic young man collapsed, a friend came to the house saying he had fallen over.
Ms Coffey rushed out to the park and found him lying on his back. He was pronounced dead by the time he got to Cheltenham General Hospital.
Jamie left behind a younger sister, Jannine.
Ms Coffey said today will be emotional and difficult.
"It still hits me now, whenever this date comes round," she said.
"It has been very difficult. I miss him so much. He was a great kid, and always loved his football. You couldn't have asked for a better son.
"He has really changed my life. I've given up smoking and drinking, things he always hated, and I know he'll be proud I've done it for him."
Every year, Josephine and Jannine would go to the bench and Jamie's grave to pay tribute to him. They have prepared a book of pictures detailing his life, and will release a balloon in his memory at the park at 7pm today. Josephine also normally puts on his favourite football top and scores a goal at the park.
A spokesman for Gloucestershire police said the people who vandalised the bench have been warned not to do it again.
