THE devastated cousin of a man gunned down in cold blood 12 months ago today begged the public to help police catch his killers.

Arif Iqbal, 27, died in a hail of bullets on New Year's Eve as he sat in a car with his cousin Amjad Yaseen and two friends.

Masked gunmen opened fire and blasted each side of the vehicle with up to eight bullets. One bullet pierced father-of-two Arif's heart and he died instantly. Another bullet shattered Amjad's spine.

Today, a year since the murder in Cheetham Hill, Amjad issued an emotional appeal to encourage witnesses to come forward. Surgeons were unable to remove the bullet, leaving him paralysed from the waist down.

Father-of-one Amjad, 28, who was visiting Arif's grave today, said: "We were cousins but we might as well have been brothers.

 "It is one thing that I am in a wheelchair but I am never going to see Arif again. He is never going to see his children grow up.

 "His children need to know that the people who did this have been caught. New Year's Eve is a time for celebration. For me it is a time for grief."

Arif, a married security guard of Springfield Gardens, Crumpsall, was sitting with Amjad and two friends in a silver Vauxhall Vectra on Huxley Avenue at 5.30pm when two gunmen on foot opened fire. The four were travelling to a New Year's Eve party in Manchester.

Amjad said: "One minute we were driving, laughing and joking. The next minute we were screaming with fear. I heard the gunshots but I did not know how serious it was.

"There were about eight shots. It was mayhem. Everyone was screaming. It was a nightmare. I was in so much pain that I thought I was going to die."

The driver managed to reach North Manchester General Hospital where Arif was pronounced dead. A 23-year-old in the car suffered a minor head wound and the fourth was uninjured. But Amjad spent months in hospital.

He said: "I cannot walk and I am in constant pain but I am thankful to be alive. Arif is not.

"The doctors cannot tell me whether the pain will ever stop. It takes over my life. I get a lot of anger inside. "I am angry at the people who have done this and I want them caught. I am angry that they have taken Arif. "He was the last person who should have been murdered and he always had time for everyone.

"I want people to come forward. They have to imagine this happening to them and think of Arif's children. They must be caught."

Amjad said he could think of no reason why the gunmen targeted the car. Detectives believe it could have been a case of mistaken identity.

 Detectives have revealed that they have forensically linked the murder to a shooting in Washbrook Drive, Urmston, Trafford, 40 minutes earlier.

A 42-year-old man was shot in the back but has now been discharged from hospital. Detectives believe a saloon car, an Audi or a BMW, was involved in both shootings.

Det Supt Geoff Wessell said: "This has been a truly awful year for Arif's family. However, I believe it is significant that these two incidents are connected and would appeal for community help from both areas.

"We know that a year can seem like a long time but, believe me, to Arif's family, this tragedy only seems like yesterday."

Call the GMP Major Incident Team on 0161 856 2480 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.