THE father of murdered toddler James Bulger last night called for public "restraint" over the release of his son's killers.

His plea came as Home Secretary David Blunkett admitted that Jon Venables and Robert Thompson could face real dangers when they are freed this week.

James' father, Ralph Bulger, called for a time of "reflection" after Venables' mother, Susan, said she feared her son would be tracked down and murdered by vigilantes.

It was also reported that Tyneside child killer Mary Bell had been brought in by Home Office and Probation Service officials to advise on her experiences of release from custody and her fight to protect her anonymity.

The teenagers, who abducted two-year-old James from a shopping precinct in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993 before battering him to death, have been granted an open-ended injunction protecting their anonymity.

It is only the second time the Home Office has thought it necessary to provide a new identity for child murderers - the other being Mary Bell on her release in 1980.

She was aged 11, when in 1968, she strangled Brian Howe, three, and four-year-old Martin Brown in Newcastle.

Last night, Martin's mother June Richardson, who founded the Homicide Support Unit to help the families of murder victims, condemned reports that Bell was secretly consulted over the release of Venables and Thompson, now aged 18.

She said: "It is absolutely disgusting that Mary Bell has been telling the Government what should happen for their rehabilitation when they get out.

"They are using a murderer to tell murderers what to do. I was talking to Jamie Bulger's mother Denise and she is in a terrible state with them being let out.

"It is only people who commit crime that get justice. The Government say they will look after victims but I have yet to see the victims helped."

But Mrs Richardson, 56, of Gateshead, echoed pleas for people not to seek revenge.

"The majority of victims don't want people killed. That makes us murderers and we are not murderers," she said.

Ralph Bulger yesterday issued his appeal for calm through his lawyer.

Solicitor Robin Makin said: "I think the time has really come for there to be restraint and for matters to fade away to allow everybody some time to reflect and allow what has been set up to take effect."

Mr Blunkett, commenting on the issue for the first time since confirming the release of Venables and Thompson, said: "It is the most horrendous case and I understand very well the very strong feelings, but nothing can bring Jamie back and we have now to address ourselves to the future.

"We are not in the Mid West in the 19th Century, we are in Britain in the 21st Century and we will deal with things effectively and we will deal with them in a civilised manner."

But James' mother, Denise Fergus, has already warned that the killers will not be able to hide under their new names for ever.

Norman Brennan, founder of the Victims of Crime Trust and a friend of Mrs Fergus, said he believed the strength of public reaction reflected the feeling that the boys had not spent long enough in custody.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General was last night continuing to consider whether the Manchester Evening News had breached an injunction protecting the identities of the killers. It may make an announcement as early as today.

Strict guidelines restricting media coverage of the pair were imposed by the High Court to protect them from revenge attacks.

But foreign newspapers are not covered by the ruling, and some have already expressed interest in publishing recent photographs of the killers.