THE fiancee of stabbed builder Mathew Hornsby has started raising money for a memorial bench in his honour.

Mathew, 25, was killed last April after 19-year-old carpenter Michael Ephgrave thrust a chisel into his back causing a fatal, 10cm deep wound.

Last week Ephgrave was jailed for seven years for Mathew's manslaughter.

Now Mathew's fiancee Shaley Winter, 18, who has since given birth to a son bearing Mathew's name, wants to erect a memorial to him in one of the couple's favourite places, Lydiard Park.

Shaley, of Cottington Close, Freshbrook, said: "Matty used to love Lydiard Park. We used to go there all the time.

"When we first started going out I was only 16 and I wasn't old enough to go to the pub, so we would go for walks in the park and just sit and talk for hours. Matty always loved nature and that park was his favourite.

"Since he died I have been there a lot to just sit and remember him, and I thought it would be nice to have a place where his friends and family could go to remember him, so I came up with the idea of putting a bench there.

"I'm not sure the council will let me put it there, because I have been told that Queens Park is the normal place for memorials, but Queens Park is a long way from my home and it was never special to Matty and me in the same way Lydiard Park was."

Ms Winter is now trying to raise £600 to pay for the bench.

"I have had some offers from people but I really want to do this on my own so the memorial to Matty is just from me."