A grieving mother is living scared after yobs threw burning paper on to her balcony where festive lights and a tribute to her son were displayed.

Ann Attridge, who lives in a ground-floor flat in Churchill Court, Dovercourt, said she is still in shock after the incident.

She said: "I had been out there all morning fixing extension leads because I hadn't connected the lights.

"I came in because I thought I had over-done it. I sat down to put the television on. Out of the corner of my eye I saw this flash at the window. I thought What was that?'."

Mrs Attridge, 59, went out on to her balcony and saw a burning piece of paper.

"It was ablaze on the balcony. I picked it up and thought, what do I do with it? I couldn't do anything but chuck it over the balcony."

She then dialled 999.