Rhys police plea to key witnesses

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Police investigating the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones have re-appealed for two key witnesses to contact them.

Acting Det Supt Dave Kelly was keen to speak to a person who called Crimestoppers on 24 August and reported seeing a man on a mobile phone.

Officers also want to speak to a man who called police the next night.

Rhys was shot by a teenager as he walked home from football practice near the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Liverpool, on 22 August.

Four people who were arrested and questioned over his murder on Friday have been released on police bail.

The two men, aged 20 and 24, and two boys, aged 17 and 16, are all from the Liverpool area.

Rhys, we lost you so suddenly, we keep asking why Melanie and Stephen Jones

There have been a total of 16 arrests in connection with the murder.

Seven others have been released on bail and five have been released without charge.

Det Supt Kelly said: "At this stage the strongest line of inquiry is that Rhys was the accidental victim of a targeted attack against others.

"We also can't rule out that this situation involved local opposing factions."

Rhys's mother Melanie, 41, and father, Stephen, 44, are preparing to hold a memorial service for their son on Sunday.

The couple have also invited all well-wishers to pay tribute to their boy at his funeral to be held at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on Thursday.

Mourners have been asked to wear bright colours or football tops in Rhys's memory.

The service will begin at 1400 BST with a private burial taking place afterwards.