A MUM has vowed never to speak to her son again after he stole his sick grandmother's life savings.

Christine Ellis, 49, of Shepherd Street, Bacup, looked after the £6,600 cash when her mother Mary went into hospital.

Ms Ellis said she had begged her mother to let her place the cash in a bank account but the elderly woman had refused and only trusted her daughter with the money.

On February 20, John Hodgkinson called at his mother's house and found the cash after he said he was going to the toilet.

He handed himself in to police almost six weeks later, and was jailed for 168 days after admitting theft in court on April 5. Mary Ellis, who now lives in a care home, has not been told what has happened to the money, because her family fear the shock of the betrayal could worsen her health.

Ms Ellis, who has supported her son throughout his 10-year drug addiction despite fighting her own battle against cancer, said his latest betrayal had broken her heart. She said: "As far as I'm concerned I don't have a son anymore. Even if he gets off the drugs I'll never speak to him again.

"I had put it away in a carrier bag at the top of the wardrobe and tied the top in a special way so I would know if anyone had touched it, even though only me and my partner knew it was there.

"As soon as I went up to check, I knew he had been in there. He had taken everything and I just phoned the police straight away.

"He handed himself in eventually, but only after they'd been looking for him for weeks. I'm glad he's in prison."

She added: "I have forgiven and forgiven him but I can't do it any more.

"It breaks my heart, because I have never lied to my mum, and now I have to because the shock might kill her if she knew the truth.

"I'll never be able to forgive him for this."