A FATHER who sparked a police investigation into a stunt website has spoken of the effect the move has had on his family.

Robert Brown complained to police after a photo of his 11-year-old son having his head pushed on to a bed of nails by older boys appeared on a website last year.

The site, set up as a tribute to MTV and Channel 4 stunt show 'Jackass' was shut down and police launched an investigation, but no criminal charges were brought.

In April another boy suffered horrific burns to his thighs and chest after petrol was thrown on to a fire which he was jumping over with friends in Anchor Avenue.

The gang were recording images for the website, called Live Now Die Later.

Mr Brown, 40, of Douglas Grove, Darwen, said his son, Martin Holden, now 12, had been regularly abused on the street and was too scared to leave his home alone.

Mr Brown said: "Martin can't go out on his own for fear of being beaten up.

"He is called names such as freak and pinhead when he leaves the house, and all because he did the right thing and told the police what was going on.

"He's now learned that this is what happens when you tell the truth. No one helps you and nobody backs you up. He doesn't respect or trust people in authority any more.

"We're trying to bring Martin up to tell the truth and behave responsibly, but he's seeing people doing bad things and getting away with it.

"What will it take before something is done - a death?"

Martin's mother Janet Holden, of Anchor Avenue, said: "Martin is all right physically now but the whole thing has damaged him psychologically.

"He's been upset by abuse written about him on walls."

The site, which featured pictures of teenagers walking across a bed of flames and setting their hair alight, has now been closed down for good.

Despite Blackburn police filing a report to the Crown Prosecution Service, no criminal charges were brought.

A police spokesman said they were dealing with a complaint about an allegation of harassment.