“HE was a great little lad.’’

Moving words from the great uncle of four-year-old Ryan Hawkins who was stabbed to death in Slaithwaite on Sunday.

Ryan died after being stabbed 10 times. His 14-year-old sister Donna suffered around 20 stab wounds in the incident at a house on Royd Street that brought unimaginable horror to the village on a quiet weekend lunchtime.

Their father, 47-year-old Chris Hawkins, was arrested a short time later on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and continues to be quizzed by police about the tragedy.

A 30-year-old man also arrested has now been released without charge.

Ryan’s great uncle, George Fellows, said: “The best way to describe Ryan is just to say he was a real little lad.

“He loved Spiderman and had the outfit, the cape, the lot. He was such a happy child and was always smiling. If he had any sweets, he’d share them with everybody.’’

It has now emerged that Ryan had only just turned four.

He celebrated his birthday on Saturday, September 15, with a family party.

Mr Fellows said: “As a family we are all shattered by this and just can’t take in what’s happened. The whole village remains in absolute shock.’’

He owns taxi firm Slawit and Golcar Cars on Market Place in the centre of Slaithwaite and Ryan’s mum, Valerie, works for him part-time.

Devastated Valerie, 40, is constantly at Donna’s bedside at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where she remains seriously ill but is said to be in a stable condition.

Donna suffered multiple stab wounds and was found lying on Royd Street.

Waqar Zaman from Hill Top Stores on Royd Street tended her wounds.

Mr Zaman, 34, owner of nearby Hill Top Stores, was one of the first people on the scene and described how he tried to help the teenager by removing his T-shirt and trying to stem the flow of blood from her wounds.

He said: “She had a stab wound on her face which went straight through her mouth, she had stab wounds in her stomach just under her rib cage, all over the place.

“Her right arm was completely broken, she couldn’t breathe.

“She was complaining she couldn’t breathe, that she was going to die.”

Mr Zaman said he believed Donna had gone to pick her brother up from Mr Hawkins’s house when the attack happened.

Valerie’s other daughter, Nathalie, was away at the weekend.

Mr Hawkins and Valerie had split up recently and he moved out of the family home on Hill Top Fold off Meal Hill Lane to stay with a friend, Richard Walker, at the house on Royd Street where the killing happened.

The house backs on to Bank Gate and decking there provides a stunning view across the Colne Valley and Slaithwaite reservoir.

Immediately after the knifings, Hawkins went to the Silent Woman pub on Nabbs Lane at the bottom of Bank Gate in the village.

The pub is only around a quarter-of-a-mile from the house.

It was open again yesterday morning and by just after 11am several regulars were drinking pints.

But no-one was prepared to talk about what had happened.

Valerie’s maiden name was Gee and she used to be an accomplished gymnast. She comes from a large family.

Valerie and the three children are understood to have moved back in with her mother in Slaithwaite.

David Gledhill, of Slaithwaite, has known the family for years.

He said: “Ryan was a super little lad and we’d often see him around with his mum. It will be absolutely awful for her and you can’t start to think what she’s going through. All this has just come out of the blue.’’

Both Donna and Nathalie are pupils at Colne Valley High School.

Headteacher Mrs Linda Wright said: “We have tried to maintain a sense of normality and stability and have worked through form tutors to speak to pupils who are close to Nathalie and Donna.’’

She said that anyone wanting to send cards or flowers to Donna must do so through school and not go to the hospital.

Robin Townsend, vicar of St James’ Church, Slaithwaite, said: “These recent events have really damaged this community, a community where children are valued very much.

“This is a tragic incident and as a church we will be trying to give as much healing input as we are able. We value the prayers of everybody at this difficult time and I’m sure our fellow Christians will be praying with us.’’

Today was a poignant reminder that a community had been hit by the murder of a child.

Floral tributes to little Ryan have been left at the end of Royd Street in Hill Top, Slaithwaite.

And prominent among the tributes today were stuffed figures of Winnie The Pooh and Tigger – childhood favourites of countless youngsters.

The toys were left with tributes from friends and neighbours of the four-year-old, stabbed to death on Sunday afternoon.

A Teddy with a Spiderman badge nestled alongside a toy elephant which bore the message: Ryan you will always be in my heart, Love Molly Wright.

Another card left with the flowers read: There are no words to express how we feel. It should never have happened. Malcolm and Vicky Nicholson.