MORE than £30,000 has now been raised for the family of a man stabbed to death.

Family friends of James Gibbons have been overwhelmed at the response to a fundraiser to help support his family.

The 34-year-old was tragically stabbed to death in Iris Mews, Laindon on May 2 at around 9.30pm.

The fundraiser, set up by family friend Louise Lindfield, initially was only aiming to raise £1,500.

However, it eclipsed that target within a day, and has now exceeded all expectations.

Ms Lindfield said it will keep Mr Gibbons' family's financial future secure for some time.

She said: "I and the other mums as are completely overwhelmed and speechless! We want to thank each and everyone who has donated or shared this.

"It just proves what sort of community we really are deep down and just how much we thought of James. 

"Of course no money is going to bring James back, but at least for the time being Vicky [his fiancee] the children have any worries regarding money out of their head.

"Again, we just can’t say it enough, thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting behind me in this fundraiser."

Self-employed plumber Mr Gibbons had celebrated his two-year-old twin daughters’ birthday earlier on the day, his family said.

They described him as an “amazing father”, and the “kind of person who would always be prepared to help anyone less fortunate than himself”.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with Mr Gibbons' murder and is due in court again at a later date.

A post-mortem examination recorded Mr Gibbons’s provisional medical cause of death as stab wounds to the abdomen, an inquest in Chelmsford was told on Monday.

A 13-year-old boy was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder and has since been released on bail until Friday.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the murder and released on bail until May 25.

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