The Bolton father of a young footballer gunned down in a takeaway has begged for help to catch his killers.

Halton McCollin, aged 20, was killed when two masked men followed him into a takeaway in Stretford on January 19.

Three shots were fired, one hitting him in the head. He died three days later in hospital.

His 53-year-old father, also called Halton, lives in Astley Bridge. And last night he made an impassioned plea for anyone who knows the killers to come forward with information.

"Someone, somewhere out there knows who has killed my son," he said.

One theory police are considering is that the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.

Halton may have been an innocent victim of gang members looking to target rivals.

He was a semi-professional footballer with Flixton and spoke to his father hours before he was shot.

They were supposed to have watched Bolton Wanderers' televised match against Newcastle United at Mr McCollin's Astley Bridgehome, but Halton had been working late at the Norwich Union call centre in Manchester.

When he failed to arrive for the 5.15pm kick-off, Mr McCollin spoke to his son on the phone "He said he was working late. It was raining very hard and I said that I did not want him to travel over to Bolton," Mr McCollin said.

"He said that he was just going to get something to eat and chill for the rest of the evening."

With his daughter,Terri-Ann, at his side, Mr McCollin told how hours later he received the phone call that every parent dreads.

He said: "When someone rings up and says 'Dad, Dad, Halton has been shot', it is not something that you can readily deal with.

"I went fuzzy. I did not want to hear what was being said.

"It was the worst possible moment of my life.

"I am not supposed to be burying my son. This is not how it should be."

Halton was shot at the China Gardens takeaway in Chester Road, Stretford.

Police have confirmed that Halton was not linked to any gangs and Mr McCollin appealed to the public to turn in the killers.

Mr McCollin said people could give information anonymously if they were afraid.

We just want anyone to come forward with information. Any little bit of information will be a help."

He added: "I never expected in my life that I would have to make an appeal like this on behalf of my own son.

"If something like this could happen to Halton, who was not connected or involved with the gang-type culture that we have around Britain, then it could happen to anyone.

"Whenever I think of him, I just see his huge smile. Nothing ever seemed to keep him down.

"He seemed to have a way of dealing with situations and problems that was beyond his years.

"I was so proud of him. He was always so sporty and fit and that is how I will remember him.

"It has hit the family very hard. It is not something that I can put into words."

He said he had also invited Halton round so he could drop off presents for his half-brother, whose eighth birthday was day before Halton died.

Halton's sister Terri-Ann, aged 26, who a public relations manager living in Paris, said she had been due to meet Halton in London and fly with him to Barbados for a three-week holiday.

"We were both really excited because we were going together. Now I will never have Halton again," she said.

"I never got to say how much I loved him. He was always there for me.

"He was the glue of our immediate family. But my brother was murdered in cold blood and as a result I am in pieces.

"For me he was my strength, my smile, my inspiration, my everything."

Det Supt Darren Shenton, who is leading this investigation, said: "I am investigating the murder of a young man who had everything to live for, and I know there are people who can help me, but they are staying quiet.

"Halton was not a gang-member, he was a hard-working young man who earned a decent wage and had just gone to a chip shop with his friends to get some food."

After the shooting, the two men were seen running down an alleyway near the Gorse Hill pub with a third man, before getting into a dark blue Vauxhall Vectra. Detectives want to hear anyone who saw the car.

Anyone with any information should call the major incident room on 0161 856 4159 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.