The mother of the murdered British toddler James Bulger has led a march of more than 300 people in protest at the expected release of his killers.
Ms Denise Fergus, 33, led the procession through the streets of her home town in Kirkby, Merseyside, to highlight her Justice for James campaign.
The campaign was set up last December after the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, said the youngster's killers' tariff should be over.
Marchers are walking two miles to St Mark's Church in Northwood, where a memorial service is to be said for James to mark the eighth anniversary of his death, which falls on Monday.
Denise said she was delighted that so many people had braved the rain and icy wind to take part in the march.
"It's really great that I have this level of support, I knew Kirkby wouldn't let me down, I want to thank everyone for being here.
"Support for the cause extends worldwide, far beyond Kirkby and England. I only have to open my e-mail to see the world is behind Justice for James. I just hope this will open the eyes of the Government and make them realise how much support we have got."
James was just two when he was lured from the Strand shopping centre in Kirkby by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who were playing truant at the time.
He was taken on an exhausting two-mile-walk by his killers, then aged 10, to a railway line where he was stoned and beaten then left for dead in a murder that shocked the nation.
PA