THE murder of Sophie Lancaster led to a huge outpouring of grief and anger within the goth community.

Thousands of people around the world logged on to www.myspace.com/inmemoryofsophie to post messages of sympathy and to share their experiences of abuse suffered due to their appearance.

A memorial fund, Stamp Out Prejudice Hatred and Intolerance Everywhere (SOPHIE), was also established by her family and friends to raise money to teach young people about alternative cultures and respect.

Her mother, Sylvia Lancaster, told how Sophie and boyfriend, Rob Maltby, were abused in a local KFC restaurant a week before the attack.

"As soon as we walked in there were comments," she said.

"'Look dad, there's some goths' or 'look he's got make-up on'.

"If kids do that when their parents are with them, what do they say when they are not there?"

That incident triggered the idea to highlight such prejudice.

But within days her daughter was in a coma.

Sylvia said: "We were with her all the time.

"On the day she died I knew there was no chance but I still hoped she would pull through."

Ms Lancaster said the website, launched while Sophie was in hospital, had given her a lot of comfort.

"It's been wonderful. People have been really supportive.

"When people say a card gives them comfort you think that's a load of rubbish, but it does give you support because you know you're not on your own.

"The attack on Sophie has been a catalyst. I feel angry and the website has given me a way to channel that, otherwise I don't know what I'd do."

Sophie's MySpace website was inundated with accounts from goths world-wide of being physically assaulted from an early age.

"Random attacks on youngsters from the age of 13 onwards appear quite common everywhere,"

Sylvia said. "Making it a hate crime would change things as the attacks and abuse suffered would be taken more seriously."