But instead of a birthday cake, balloons and a party, the 35-year-old will visit the graveside of her beloved son Glen Corner.

And tonight she will make the emotional journey to East Avenue in Harton, South Shields, where her son was brutally stabbed to death by teenage killer Lee Firman two years ago today.

Glen had been out with friends celebrating his 16th birthday and passing his GCSEs when his life was cruelly cut short.

He was stabbed by Firman after stepping in to help a pal being threatened by the teenage thug.

His death rocked the close-knit community of Harton, leaving family and friends devastated.

On Friday, his friends held an 18th birthday party in his honour, in celebration of his life and of the lives he touched.

"I'm so proud to be able to call Glen my son," said Ms Hilton. "He was well liked and I've never heard a bad word said against him.

"His friends I've met since his death, some I'd never met before, tell me what a fantastic and brilliant person he was.

"Last year was hard as it was the first anniversary, but this year seems harder as I'm seeing all his friends grow into adults, and it's just heartbreaking to know I will never see my Glen grow into a man.

"If he was here now, he would have been out with his friends and he would have wanted a party. He would have wanted to celebrate."

Since his death, Ms Hilton has been campaigning to raise awareness among youngsters of the dangers of carrying knives.

Last year, she backed the Gazette's Knives Ruin Lives campaign and has recently visited Hebburn Comprehensive School to talk to teenagers about how deadly blades can be.

She also set up the Glen Corner Trust to help the parents of murder and manslaughter victims.

"The campaigning in Glen's memory to raise awareness of the dangers of knives has definitely helped keep me going," she said.

"I can never bring him back, but if what happened to Glen makes people stop and think about how dangerous knives can be, then I'd like to think his death has not been in vain."

Firman, then 19, of Thornholme Avenue, South Shields, was jailed for life after admitting to murdering Glen in March last year.