Richard McCann was told by police that his mother had gone to heaven

Richard McCann, of Leeds, was five-years-old when he was told his mother, Wilma, had been killed.

He is now working to set-up a support group in Yorkshire to help relatives of those who have been murdered.

Peter Sutcliffe killed at least 13 women across the north of England sparking a major manhunt in the 1970s.

After attending a memorial service organised by Support After Murder and Manslaughter, Mr McCann decided to start a group in Yorkshire in a bid to find other children from the victims.

A police officer sat me down and said, 'Your mum's been taken to heaven and you're not going to see her again' Richard McCann

Mr McCann said although his mother was murdered 30-years-ago, the effects of what happened still live on.

He told BBC News he had since been in prison and "dabbled with drugs".

"I deserved to go prison, but I could argue that had I been brought up by my mother I might have felt a bit more secure," he said.

Mr McCann, now 35, admitted it has been a lengthy process to come to terms with what happened.

"I even considered whether it was my mother's fault... that she pushed him over the edge and he started murdering because of her and the way she was," he said.

Peter Sutcliffe claimed messages from God told him to kill

Mr McCann hopes other relatives will find comfort in talking to others who suffered through Sutcliffe's actions.

"I remember the night it happened quite vividly.

"I felt fear for the first time as a young boy and that has been with me all these years.

"I was taken to a children's home and the police officer sat me down and said, 'Your mum's been taken to heaven and you're not going to see her again'."