A CAMPAIGN to halt the early release of two youths who attempted to murder their 13-year-old friend has won massive support.

Ashley Murray, from Harrogate, was stabbed 18 times and left for dead three years ago.

His mother, Jo, said today that 2,000 people had already signed a petition.

The number is expected to be much higher, as signatures continue to be collected until December 21.

Robert Fuller and Daniel Gill, now both 17 and from Harrogate, were sentenced to six years imprisonment in October 1999 for the attack.

But the parole board could decide to release them as early as next month.

Ashley's mother launched the petition last month, and wrote to Home Secretary David Blunkett and Harrogate MP Phil Willis asking them to oppose early release.

She said today: "The response has been amazing.

"I haven't met anybody who has refused to sign it. It has shown us that it's not just Ashley's family and friends who say early release would be wrong. People we don't even know agree with us that the system is wrong."

She said she opposed early release because she didn't believe two years was enough time for Gill and Fuller to become reformed characters.

Ashley, now 16, is still fighting to recover from his injuries.

Updated: 10:23 Tuesday, December 11, 2001