The family of a man killed after he attempted to burgle the home of a Hither Green pensioner have insisted he is not “a monster”.

Henry Vincent was 37 when he entered the home in South Park Crescent with an accomplice on April 4 shortly after midnight.

There they were confronted with 78-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks, who in the ensuing struggle fatally stabbed the intruder.

Family of the deceased Mr Vincent have been putting up tributes to him outside the home where he was stabbed, but they keep being torn down.

Loved ones of Vincent arrived at around 2.10pm today (April 10) to fasten the flowers to the fence opposite the home of Mr Osborn-Brooks.

Elvina Lee, who said she was Vincent's first cousin, called whoever pulled the tributes down "scum" and labelled Mr Osborn-Brooks a "murderer" and a "lowlife".

She said: "This is the best place for these flowers to be. I don't know what's wrong with these people (who dismantled them)... I think they're scum."

Regarding Vincent she said: "He was like a brother to me, he loved his family and his three babies. He wasn't a murderer, he wasn't a rapist, they're putting (sic) him as a monster.

"Murderer? The murderer is over there."

Earlier today the coroner returned the body of Vincent to his family during an inquest into his death, saying "I know you are having a dreadful time - I am releasing the body now."

Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but released without charge two days later, although he has not returned for his home and instead is currently living with his wife in a secure location.

The community rallied behind the pensioner very early on, launching petitions and fundraisers calling for him not to be charged.

Barely an hour after the family of Vincent tried to restore the flowers, the whole memorial was torn down again by a man who said he was "taking these s*** flowers down" calling it an "insult" to the memory of Mr Osborn-Brooks.

The man, who wore a beanie and did not give his name, added: "These need burning."