Gentle giant Mick LoveA CLOSE friend of murdered Swindon dad Mick Love has spoken of his shock at the news that his killer is still on the loose.

The man, who does not want to be named, had been a friend of Mick's since 1981 when they met as teenagers and discovered a shared love of music.

Mick, 40, was stabbed to death last September in Cannon Street, Old Town after a night out with friends.

The postal worker, who was dubbed a gentle giant by friends and family, had two children by his former wife Karen.

On Friday Colin Lewin was cleared of his murder after an 11-day trial at Bristol Crown Court. Mick's friend is shocked by the fact that Mick's killer is still on the streets.

"I'm in a total state of shock. It's just absolutely unbelievable," he said.

"After Mick's death I sort of tried to get on with my life on the basis that there was a court case coming up and that someone was up on charges.

"Everybody was hoping that this would provide some sort of closure.

"It wouldn't have brought Mick back obviously but now there's no closure at all."

He doesn't blame the police for the fact that Mick's killer has not been brought to justice but he fears that whoever killed Mick could strike again.

"The police have done everything they could possibly do," he said.

"I am concerned that whoever did this will do it again."

He described the sort of man that Mick was.

"We met when we were both teenagers and we used to go to the same pubs and liked the same sort of music.

"He was a great laugh larger than life and the life and soul of the party.

"It's bad enough that he was murdered.

"But for someone to get away with it is just awful." After the trial Wiltshire Police said they would be reinvestigating the murder case. Throughout the trial Mr Lewin, who worked at Avon Tyres in Melksham, claimed that the real killer was another man.

Mobile phone records showed that Lewin had Mr Love's mobile phone minutes after the attack but he insisted he bought it from the other man.

CCTV footage also showed Mr Lewin near the murder scene on the night of the attack but he insisted he was driving around Swindon after an argument with his girlfriend Sarah Mackintosh.