THE DAD of teenage murder victim Cole Kershaw has welcomed guilty verdicts for his killers but has insisted "there are no winners".

As Kamran Mohammed, Mohammed Khan and Khayam Khurshid were convicted following a five week trial at Manchester Crown Court a relieved Chris Gaynor said: "We have got justice for Cole. 

"There's no winners and losers in this but we have got justice and that is all that matters."

Mr Gaynor described himself as being "numb and blank" as the jury forewoman started the verdicts.

"It's not something that has sunk in yet," he said.

But he is anxious that his 18-year-old son's death should not be seen as a racial one.

"This is not racist in any shape or form. It is not about race, it is not about cultures or anything like that," he said.

"My son was just in the wrong place and the wrong time and that's it."

READ MORE: Three men guilty of Cole Kershaw's murder

Mr Gaynor, supported by family friends Richard Mawdsley and Marc Pyrah, sat through every day of the trial, listening as details of his Cole's brutal death, gunned down following a car chase through Bury, and events leading up to it were described to the jury.

"I became more anxious as the days went on," he said, especially this last week as the jury spent five days deliberating.

"There have been less and less words from Chris each day, " said Mr Mawdsley. "We have seen how hard it is."

Mr Gaynor added that the experience had been difficult

"I can't believe how strong I have been, I'll be honest with you," he said.

"I have seven other kids and they have needed my support more than anything so I have not really had time to even grieve, never mind anything else. 

"I have had sleepless nights, I suffer with heart failure, it's crazy. I am in shock, complete shock.

He was full of praise for the efforts put in by the police and legal team to bring aspiring young boxer Cole's killers to justice and he hopes it will lead to Bury becoming a better place.

"The verdict was correct and the streets of Bury are, hopefully, that much safer now for our kids and their kids to come," added Mr Mawdsley.

"The sad thing is it's kids shooting kids and it shouldn't be happening. We all need to wrap it up now and move on the best we can and not forget about Cole — that's the most important thing".

Cole's family and friends are determined his death will not be in vain and so have set up King Cole Legacy, a charity in the teenager's name to support the community and raise aware of gun and knife crime amongst youngsters through educational and sporting projects

"On the plus side we've officially got a King Cole charity, so hopefully there is promising things from that," said Mr Gaynor.

"As a town, now coming together is a good thing to happen and just make sure it doesn't happen again. 

"Cole lost his life but that could have been a five-year-old, a three-year-old - that bullet could have hit anyone that night."