The mum of a ten-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by his dad has said her son was a "hero".

Andrew Morris killed his son Kane Morris before stabbing an eight-year-old girl in Coupar Angus, Perth and Kinross, in November.

Kane was stabbed six times - once in the chest and five times in the back - before walking into the young girl's bedroom to try to help her but collapsed and died in front of her.

Speaking to STV News, Kane's mum Laura Anne Gillie spoke of her devastation at his death but hailed her son as a "hero" for trying to save the girl.

She said: "It's been very tough but I'm humbled by Kane's hero status being recognised a title he is worthy of deserving.

"Kane was the smartest, most loveable little boy u could ever meet.

"He was popular on a level that I as a child would have loved.

"He loved to dance and was extremely good at making up street dances to songs.

"He had a life-long friend that had moved to a different town but both families made an effort so that they could maintain that friendship spending holidays and weekends together."

Morris, 38, also stabbed himself and jumped from the roof of the house, where his son's body was found. Efforts to get to the children were hampered because Morris had barricaded the front door.

When they got in they found the eight-year-old with stab wounds to her stomach and limbs. Kane was lying collapsed outside the bedroom she had been sleeping in.

Morris was treated by paramedics as he lay injured in the street before telling them he had stabbed two children.

Kane's mum added that she had no idea her ex-husband was capable of being a killer, saying the family was left shocked by the events which unfolded.

"None of our family could have ever of thought he would do what he did," she said.

"If any of us did we wouldn't have left him with anyone.

"Thankfully Kane has been recognised as the wee hero that he was and he more than deserves that title.

"I'm extremely lucky to call Kane my son and I wish he was still here."

The killer is currently detained in State Hospital at Carstairs near Glasgow and will be sentenced on August 12.

In a victim impact statement, Kane's mum said her son's death has "turned her life upside down".

She said: "That awful night has turned my life and my family's life upside down.

"We are left to deal with this for the rest of our lives. Losing a child would never be easy but for Kane to be taken from us in this fashion is far more daunting than I could ever comprehend.

"I can never change the outcome of that horrendous night and never believed anyone in this world was capable of such a cruel act - and most certainly not someone I had loved and was once married to.

"I've been robbed of ever knowing what type of man my son would grow into. I would never wish for any other family to go through what myself and my family have."

When questioned by detectives, Morris told them: "I was taking them to a better place away from evil."

Later he said: "I've done a horrible thing."

Judge Lord Mulholland told Morris: "It seems to me that Kane showed incredible bravery and self sacrifice rather than thinking of himself his concern was for the eight-year-old girl. For a ten-year-old boy to do that shows incredible bravery.

"The eight-year-old girl showed incredible bravery as well."