GENTLE giant Stephen Humphries was a man with everything to live for when his life was cruelly ended. Known as someone who loved life, his future looked particularly bright.

After spending most of his life in care homes after being given up by his father as a baby when his mother walked out, Stephen was delighted to have re-established contact with his family, ending more than 30 years of separation.

Links with his father, Eddie, and sister, Pamela, had been rekindled over the years and, in 2004, Stephen found brother Colin, who he had never met but who went on to become his closest friend.

The only other family member he had known, brother Michael, had died some years before, leaving Stephen devastated.

Stephen, who was unable to read or write, spent several happy months living with Colin and his wife, Joelle, in their Oxfordshire home, and doted on his five-year-old niece, Chloe.

He was, at last, living the family life he had always yearned for, but found it difficult living away from his many friends in Darlington, where he spent much of his adult life.

Although Colin was unsure about his brother moving back to live by himself, early last year, Stephen convinced him.

"We thought he would be safe there," said Colin.

Only months later, on the night of October 6 last year, that was to be proved wrong when Stephen, 53, was beaten to death after an early-evening drink in a town centre pub.

An alleyway next to the Nag's Head, in Darlington, offered a short cut through the adjoining churchyard, en-route to his sheltered flat in Yarm Road.

It was a route Stephen took regularly, but this time, an encounter with teenager John McCallum cost him his life. Stephen's Manchester United wallet, bought for him by Colin, was found nearby, emptied of money.

Family and friends struggled to comprehend how such a placid man, nicknamed Uncle Fester because of his big physical build and friendly personality, had been victim to such a violent attack, in which virtually every bone in his face was broken.

However, out of tragedy came a shred of happiness for the devastated Humphries family, when Colin and his father were reunited for the first time since 1969 - nearly 40 years since their last meeting - and joined Pamela to mourn their adored son and brother.

Stephen, who often said how much he missed his older brother, Michael, was laid to rest with him in Darlington's West Cemetery.

Friends spoke of "Stevie" the "lovely, gentle" Manchester United fan who loved karaoke, and had a trademark dance he was known around town for. They threw a memorial party in a room adorned with Manchester United flags, and Stephen's favourite Westlife songs played on the stereo.

Yesterday, Yvonne Britton, who was Stephen's carer in Darlington for 18 years, said: "Stephen was a lovely lad, so well-liked. He certainly didn't deserve what happened. He is really missed."

Fighting back tears, Colin said that while the void Stephen's death left remained, he was grateful for the time they spent together.

"I'm so pleased I found Stephen again. I have some very happy memories, as we all do," he said.

"Stephen was harmless, a gentle giant. You couldn't not like him, he was so friendly, really loveable.

"He is a huge miss to us all, but he will never, ever be forgotten."