MORE than £12k has been raised in memory of one of the victims of the Forbury Gardens attack, just days before killer Khairi Saadallah is set to discover his sentence.

The Holt School in Wokingham, where 36-year-old James Furlong worked as a history teacher, is fundraising for a permanent mosaic memorial.

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Mr Furlong was killed on June 20 alongside friends David Wails, 49, and Joseph RitchieBennett, 39, as they innocently enjoyed a summer evening at the beloved Reading park.

Next week, lone knifeman Saadallah is set to find out how long he will face behind bars after pleading guilty to the three murders and further charges of three attempted murders.

Saadallah denies substantial preparation or planning and claimed an ideological cause was not a motivating factor

The crowdfunding page set up by school for Mr Furlong describes him as having “touched the lives of all who knew him” and so far £12,108 has been raised.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) is also working on plans for a town memorial to honour the three men.

RBC leader Jason Brock said: "Following the tragic deaths of James Furlong, David Wails and Joe Ritchie-Bennett in June, our thoughts remain with their friends and families.

"Reading Borough Council have committed to creating a permanent memorial to the victims and we will be working with their families and friends, and with stakeholders from across the community to do so.

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"It is vital that we dedicate enough time for this process to happen so that nobody feels rushed into a decision and everybody has a chance to take part.

"It will take some time for our community to comes to terms with what has happened, and to be ready to think about a long-term memorial.

"It's essential that a range of groups and individuals that represent the diverse nature of Reading's communities have a chance to take part.

"We will ensure that the process allows for this, and we recognise that it may take some time to complete."

To view and donate to The Holt fundraiser, click here.