The mum of a hit-and-run victim says she was moved to tears by a Christmas lights display dedicated to her son.

It is the second year that Darran Wright, 45, has used the illuminations at his house in St Johns Avenue, Sittingbourne, as a way of paying tribute to a local person who has tragically died.

Last Christmas they were in memory of murdered teacher Carl Davies. This year they are for Kyle Coen.

The 14-year-old was knocked off his bike by a driver who then sped off. Medics fought to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene outside Bapchild Cricket Club on July 30 last year.

As a year has passed, Mr Wright and his three sons, twins Declan and Dayton, 15, and William, 12, felt the time was right to remember the Sittingbourne Community College student.

Kyle’s mum, Rea, visited the house last week to look at the display and thank the family before returning on Sunday evening to attach three messages to the fence from her and her three children – Ryan, 12, Kara, seven, and Alex, 11 months.

The tributes have been pinned to a line outside the property, but Miss Coen said she planned to buy a Christmas tree to go in the front garden for them to hang on.

Friends and family are also invited to attach their notes and baubles on it over the coming days. They will then be passed on to the teenager’s family after the festive period.

Miss Coen, aged 37, said: “My mate lives across the road and she told me about it. I think it’s lovely. I balled my eyes out [when I saw it]. It’s nice to know he’s still remembered.”

Dad-of-six Mr Wright said: “It was Dayton who said about doing it in memory of Kyle, and I thought ‘what a fitting thing to do’.

“He’s made a plaque which says ‘these lights are dedicated to Kyle Coen’, and there
are two black and white drawings of BMX bikes on it he did, and we’ve put a ring of white lights around it. It’s at the front of the house in the middle of the brickwork.”