The mother of disgraced child killer Ian Huntley reportedly said she could barely recognise her son after he has been left fighting for his life in hospital following a brutal prison attack. She also told friends "part of me hopes he passes away." Huntley, 52, is in a critical condition after being attacked by another inmate inside HM Prison Frankland in County Durham.

The killer who murdered 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman was rushed to hospital and reportedly given a 5% chance of survival. Huntley who is serving a life sentence is believed to have suffered significant head injuries after being struck with a sharpened metal object during an incident in a prison workshop.

His 71-year-old mother, Lynda Richards, travelled around 175 miles to be at his bedside after emergency surgery.

According to reports she told her friends she “just wants to be free of it” and is fully aware “flags will fly high” if he dies but she is “still his mother.”

A Durham Constabulary spokesperson said on Friday: “There has been no change in the 52-year-old man’s condition overnight – he remains in hospital in a serious condition”.

Huntley is understood to be on life support and receiving assistance from a ventilator, with his condition described as serious.

A source told The Sun: "Lynda couldn’t recognise her own son when she saw him in the hospital, his injuries are that extensive. She’s understandably torn by what has happened but it was a harrowing experience for her. He’s been attacked on so many occasions and she now thinks it might be better if he didn’t pull through.

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"It’s an extraordinarily difficult thing for her to come to terms with. Part of her just hopes he passes away this time. But he’s still her son, regardless of what happened, and they have remained very close."