MARTHA FAMILY'S FURY AT PHOTO SALE ON EBAY; Mum killed in Troubles gun battle.(News)

Byline: MAURICE FITZMAURICE

THE family of a mum of 10 shot dead at the height of the Troubles has been left stunned after a picture of her funeral turned up for sale on eBay.

Relatives of Martha Crawford are trying to find out why the person trying to flog the black and white photograph online for pounds 6 is based in the Serbian capital Belgrade.

Kevin Crawford, one of Martha's sons, told the Daily Mirror yesterday the family is "not happy" with the development.

He said: "Somebody was browsing on the internet and stumbled across it on eBay and contacted the family. It's a picture taken at my mother's funeral in 1972 with my dad and myself and three of my brothers. I just don't why it's on eBay.

"It's strange that the place from where the photograph is being sold is Serbia because it was taken by an agency in London. They have been contacted and they say they do not condone the picture being on eBay. It's all a bit distasteful that a picture like that ends up on eBay for pounds 10. You'd wonder if the guy who has it possibly has more and is just testing the water to see if he can make money selling similar pictures.

"As to where and how he got them who knows."

Mrs Crawford, a 39-year-old married mother from Andersonstown, West Belfast, was shot by the IRA during during a gun battle with the British Army in March 1972.

A spokesman for eBay said they are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the picture's sale.

However, yesterday the photo was marked, "Bidding has ended on this item".

It is still on the auction site, however, labelled as: 1970s Ireland Belfast Funeral Mrs Martha Crawford Rare.