GURMAIL Singh’s family say they still feel “cheated” – exactly a year since the beloved shopkeeper was brutally murdered.

Mr Singh, 63, was battered to death with bottles of wines pulled from his shelves during a botched robbery at Cowcliffe Convenience Stores, on Cowcliffe Hill Road, on February 20 last year.

His son Jas Singh Hayre, 36, has just returned from India, where he went with his nephew, 12-year-old Amandeep, and his uncle, Ajit Hayre, to scatter his father’s ashes.

Jas said: “We still feel cheated.

“What those people did was unforgivable. They had no reason, as normal ordinary people, to attack somebody with so much ferocity.

“They chose to hit him nine times. It wasn’t an accident – they hit him so many times to ensure he didn’t get up.

“For me the hatred will always remain.”

A father-of-three and grandfather-of-five, Mr Singh was working alone at his corner shop when a gang burst in on the night of February 20.

When he refused to hand over cash and cigarettes, he was repeatedly bludgeoned about the head.

Several customers from the Shepherd’s Arms pub opposite ran to the shop and tried to get in to stop the assault, but all of the gang escaped.

They took just a handful of cash, sweets and cigarettes.

Muawaz Khalid, 20, and Nabeel Shafi, 18, were jailed for a minimum of 21 years and 20 years respectively after being convicted of his murder last year.

Three other men who were acquitted of murder were jailed for their parts in the incident.

Shortly after the trial, the family suffered a second tragedy when Mr Singh’s wife, Mohinder Kaur, 66, lost her battle with cancer.

Jas said: “I don’t think things have got easier, but they both instilled a determination in us to carry on no matter what.

“We have had lots of support and we have no choice but to carry on and learn to live with it.”

In line with Sikh tradition, hundreds of people are remembering Mr Singh this weekend with 48 hours of prayer at the Sikh Temple in Springwood.

His family are providing food.

“Dad taught us about this kind of stuff, the meaning of it and why it was important,” Jas added.

“I still think of him every day, wondering what we would be doing if he was still here.”

Sikh Temple secretary Inderpal Randhawa said Mr Singh was still missed.

“He was such a true, honest person and he helped the whole community.

“People will never forget him.”

The family has collected thousands of signatures on petitions calling for tougher sentences for people guilty of violent offences against retailers and greater protection for traders.

They plan to take the petitions to 10 Downing Street in the next few weeks.