Man beaten to death saw father killed the same way

David Martin, 40, died after being attacked with weapons including a golf club and a hatchet after trying to retrieve his 10-year-old son Jamie's football from a neighbour's garden.

Witnesses told how the father-of-three was stabbed, beaten and lay dying in front of his wife Angela, 39, Jamie and 12-year-old daughter Samantha, in the street in Rutter Gardens in Mitcham.

In 1986 Mr Martin's father Raymond, 49, was murdered trying to save David.

He was kicked and punched to death outside a pub near the family home in Mitcham by up to 20 youths wielding wooden sticks and poles.

One neighbour said: "A gang of boys were after David and his dad saw them having a go at him. He intervened but they all turned on him with a metal bar, killing him.

"David saw his dad die in front of him and now his son has seen David die in front of him. I can't believe this tragedy has happened twice to the same family." Officers called to the cul-de-sac of semi-detached houses on Sunday at around 7pm found his body in the front garden of the alleged attacker's house.

Mrs Martin collapsed at the scene after she tried to intervene in the attack. She was taken to hospital for treatment to minor injuries. The couple's other daughter Sophie, 14, was not present.

A neighbour living opposite the scene, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been told by the victim's sister that the incident had all been over a ball kicked into a garden. He said: "Two young boys around here were picking on Mr Martin's son and they nicked the ball off him. He came round to have a word with the father of one of them and another neighbour got involved."

Kay Scrivener, 41, has been charged with grievous bodily harm and is due to appear before Wimbledon magistrates today.

A girl of 14 and two women aged 69 and 41 who were arrested in connection with the attack have been released on bail while a man aged 37 remains in police custody. All are believed to be related.