Sister of celebrity bodyguard Ricky Hayden, who was hacked to death by machete gang, posts heartbreaking picture of him on hospital bed

THE sister of have-a-go hero Ricky Hayden gives him a final kiss on his deathbed — a harrowing image that she hopes will nail his killers.

April, 23, was by her brother’s side in hospital after he was fatally wounded by a gang armed with machetes.

She posted snaps of his final moments on Facebook hoping it would inspire people with information on his killers to come forward.

Celebrity bodyguard Ricky, 27, and his dad Paul, 54, confronted four thieves trying to steal his brother Perry’s moped outside their home.

The pair dashed outside at 1.25am on Tuesday but were attacked by the men dressed in hoodies and balaclavas.

Neighbours were woken by chilling screams and piled out into the street in Chadwell Heath, East London.

Mum-of-three Bella Tasci, 34, said: “It all happened so quickly.

“I could see someone on top of one of them with a knife in his hand.

“All the neighbours were out there saying, ‘Get off of him’. They were all screaming as well.

“Paul and Ricky were on the floor.

“The gang had two bikes, so two jumped on the back and they got away.”

During the struggle Ricky’s leg was slashed with a machete and he passed out due to loss of blood.

Paul, a former ITV security guard, tried to shield his son from further attack but he too was targeted.

The gang lashed out at Paul who reportedly lost a fingertip and suffered wounds to his arm and foot.

A second neighbour said: “I woke up to the screeching of the motorbikes. Four black boys had tried to take their moped.

“Paul and Ricky ran after them and apparently one of the gang's bikes broke down.

“Ricky and Paul managed to jump on him and the rest of the gang then came back for their friend.

“Ricky got slashed on the thigh. His dad was shouting, ‘Call an ambulance, call an ambulance’.

“It was manic. Ricky was unconscious and his dad was hysterical.

“I heard later that Ricky was induced into a coma in hospital and suffered two heart attacks."

Another neighbour said Ricky had four blood transfusions before doctors decided to amputate his leg.

The family’s Staffordshire Terrier Roxy was also slashed in the chest as she tried to tackle the thugs and later required stitches.

Perry, 20, is thought to have witnessed the horror.

But mum, teaching assistant Suzanne Hedges, 49, was not at home.

A midwife living two doors away rushed out with towels to try and stem the flow of blood from Ricky.

He worked as a bouncer and also as a maintenance man for Havering Council.

He performed security at football star Peter Crouch’s 2011 wedding to model Abbey Clancy.

The family were woken by noise early on Tuesday morning, which Ricky went to investigate

It was understood that Ricky and Perry had together built the moped that the thieves targeted. He died yesterday morning and later his sister decided to make his final moments public to help the police appeal for information.

One friend wrote under the photo: “Heartbreaking. Doesn’t seem real.”

Locals left touching floral tributes outside the house yesterday.

Neighbours said a gang from nearby Hainault had been terrifying the community though it was not known if they were in the frame for the attack.

Mum-of-one April — who had recently moved from the family home — visited the scene with Perry. She sobbed as she said of Ricky: “He was just so lovely, I'll miss him so much. I'm lucky I got to see him.”

Ricky’s uncle Kevin Hedges, 44, fought back tears as he said: “The family is absolutely distraught.”

Vikki Weir, 29, a friend of Ricky's mum, said: “He was a lovely, beautiful man.”

A JustGiving page set up to raise money for Ricky's funeral has received nearly £3,000.

Police arrested two men on suspicion of murder. They were in custody at an East London police station last night.

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