Patsy and Sheila are committed to fighting gun crime

Together they helped set up Mothers Against Violence (MAV) to support victims' families.

Patsy McKie and Sheila Eccleston travelled to Boston, United States, last year, to find out how American methods are curbing street crime.

In the US, police patrols intervene and mentor young gang members before they get sucked into a life of crime.

With 200 people injured and 25 dead in Manchester in the last four years, Patsy and Sheila set up a similar scheme closer to home.

The scheme in Greater Manchester uses two specially appointed street workers rather than the police to go out into communities.

Street worker Frederick Myers sends out a positive message

One of those workers, Frederick Myers, wants to send out a positive message to young people.

"Come and work with us, be in our gang you know what I mean," he said.

"Our gang's, like, positive and we're going to show them the way forward so they can reach a good age instead of living 'til they're 17, 18, dodging bullets and things."

Mrs McKie's son, Dorrie, who had never been in trouble with the police, was shot dead in 1999, but nobody has been charged with his murder.

Sheila's son, Dean, was shot and killed almost two years ago in Longsight, Manchester.

Police say his death was gang related but no-one has been charged with his murder.

Patsy and Sheila hope the MAV group will get to the heart of the problem and spare other mothers the heartache they have gone through.