Martin Brown was a victim of child killer Mary Bell

The parents of Laura Kane, Martin Brown, Nikki Allan and Wesley Neailey want the government to change the sentencing tariff for child killers.

They want the law changed so child killers serve full prison terms.

Laura Kane died in 1999, Martin Brown was a victim of Mary Bell in 1968, Wesley Neailey was murdered in 1998 and Nikki Allan was killed in 1992.

The parents of all four collected signatures in Newcastle on Wednesday, which they intend to send to the government.

Laura Kane, nine, was raped and murdered by a family friend after being lured from her home in Penshaw, near Sunderland.

Colin Bainbridge was found guilty of her murder.

Her father Martin, who launched the campaign, said: "I now have about 6,000 signatures on petition forms.

Lifelong anonymity

"The more help I can get the better. If all four of us stand together we have more chance of getting something done."

Four-year-old Martin Brown was killed by Mary Bell on Tyneside.

His mother June Richardson has long campaigned for child victims.

Mary Bell was convicted at the age of 11 of the manslaughter of two young boys, but later released and granted lifelong anonymity.

Wesley Neailey died after being abducted by paedophile Dominic McKilligan in 1998.

His mother Liz has called for a longer tariff for convicted child killers.

Sharon Henderson's seven-year-old daughter Nikki Allan was found in an abandoned building in Sunderland in 1992. No-one has been convicted of her murder.

Mrs Richardson said: "I can't see why a judge can give a life sentence yet the person will often only serve between seven and 15 years."