A GRIEF-STRICKEN mother has used a floral tribute to attack police investigating the race hate murder of her son.

Barbara Yusuf-Porter left the flowers to her son, Lee Phipps, with a card reading: "To Lee from mam. Feel deeply let down by Northumbria Police Force. XXXX."

It was left with other tributes near to the spot in South Shields, South Tyneside, where Mr Phipps, 31, was found with multiple stab wounds on March 2.

The family had repeatedly complained to police that they had been racially abused - but said the force had failed to charge anyone during a 15-year hate campaign.

Yesterday, a police chief said the force was taking a number of measures to reassure Mr Phipps' family and the wider community.

Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson spoke of the force's desire to ensure the investigation is transparent, and underlined their commitment to catch the killers.

Mrs Yusuf-Porter, who is half-Somali and lived with her son, had suffered Nazi-style salutes by skinhead youths and had swastikas daubed on the walls of her home.

Mr Mathieson said: "I recognise this is a hugely distressing time for Lee's mother and I can understand in her grief her need to blame someone for Lee's murder.

"We have worked extremely hard to identify the people responsible for Lee's murder and we have every confidence we will find them."

Both Mrs Yusuf-Porter and her son had complained to Northumbria police about racial harassment numerous times. In 2003, she alleged she had been the victim of over 300 incidents.

External investigators have been brought in to review how the inquiry is conducted and the force has held meetings with several ethnic minority groups in the area.