Mum of Marine killed by single punch backs 'One Punch Can Kill' campaign

Wesley Clutterbuck was on a night out with his friends in Rochdale when he hit was with a single punch to the back of the head. It was a strike that proved fatal.

Six months on from his death his mum Sara Whitworth has joined the 'One Punch Can Kill' campaign to warn others of the dangers of drunken violence.

She said: "One punch kills. It's not to say don't go out, stay at home and don't live your life. People go out at Christmas, people have a drink at Christmas.

"It's just saying in that split second before you lash out at another person just think what you could do and what you could take away from people like me, and his brothers and sisters and the family."

19 year-old Wesley was a Royal Marine and had just received the coveted green beret.

In June this year he was on leave to attend a friend's funeral. It was later that day, while out with friends in Rochdale Town Centre, that he was hit by 20 year-old Reece Kay.

He was jailed for four years after admitting manslaughter.

It's a story the 'One Punch Can Kill' campaign hopes will have an impact this Christmas.

"These offenders do not necessarily go out in the evening looking for trouble," said Inspector Umer Khan of Greater Manchester Police.

"What's happening is they tend to drink some alcohol, they'll come to a flashpoint and rather than restraining themselves they'll lash out and throw one punch.

"This campaign is all about raising awareness to say one punch can destroy more than one life, it could destroy your life because you could end up in prison."

The posters have been made by students from Rochdale Sixth Form College. For Chelsea Pritchard, who helped design it, Wesley's story was one she knew well.

"I thought it was a really good idea," she said. "Obviously knowing Wes's mum and sister I knew what had happened to them so it hits home. It's not the nicest thing to go through, so I really feel for the family having go through it at such a young age.

"He was just a strapping young lad really."

It's a message echoed by Greater Manchester Police and Wesley's family, that one punch, no matter who's on the end of it, can destroy many lives.