KIND-hearted friends are rallying round a widowed cancer patient whose son left her almost £28,000 in debt.

Heartless James Ford told his vulnerable mother Christine that he was being pursued for money he owed and unless she gave him cash, people would come to her Brierley Hill home to tie her up and pull out her nails.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told that when she failed to hand over any money, Ford threatened her and damaged property in her Morlich Rise home, including a door and a chest of drawers.

Ford, aged 28, who had begun consuming excess alcohol and using drugs, took money from his mother's bank account and sold her car after telling her he was taking it to a garage.

He also got her to sign loan agreement forms and left her facing debts of £27,745.

But Ford, of Brook Street, Stourbridge, avoided time behind bars after he admitted to a new charge of using controlling and coercive behaviour and was given a three year community order.

He was also made the subject of a three restraining order, banning him from having any contact with his mother, who has been left facing regular payments of £470 to clear her debts.

Appalled with Ford's "coercive actions", a family friend has decided to help ease the pensioner's financial burden by setting up a Crowdfunder page.

Within 24 hours, 14 supporters had helped to raise £190 for the 63-year-old, who only has her pension and a pension from her late husband to live on.

The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "I set up the page as I feel really sorry for the woman with how much she has been through."

He said he was "disgusted" with Ford and felt the sentence was "a bit lenient", adding: "It was a horrible thing for her to have to endure."

Anyone who wishes to make a donation should visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/funding-required-to-help-local-mother-1