A man will celebrate his 21^st birthday in style when he jumps from a plane in aid of charity. 

Dean Watts (pictured left), from Redcar, will perform the sky dive in Sunderland on Thursday to raise money for the Ian Bowen Memorial Fund, a regional branch of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). 

The Redcar teenager died from the rare Wolff Parkinson-White syndrome while on a night out with friends in October 1996.  He was 19. 

His 54-year-old mother, Maralyn, and husband, Kenny, 55, set up the fund in the hope they could save other families going through their heartache. 

“Ian had been having chest pains and went to the hospital a few times, but they didn’t detect anything,” said Mrs Bowen.  “Screenings aren’t available on the NHS.” 

The disease produces very rapid heartbeats and blackouts and for a small minority it proves fatal.  It is one of a dozen fatal heart diseases in people under 30 that fall under the umbrella term Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS). 

Since Ian’s death, they have raised £33,000 and the money has gone to set up screening for people who may be at risk.  The disease is treatable and even curable, if detected. 

Four screenings at Redcar’s United Reformed Church have been paid for so far, and Ian’s parents are hoping to set up another one soon. 

Mr Watts said: “Ian was my future brother-in-law’s best friend.  I wanted to do this to raise money to run the screening equipment and pay for the doctor to operate it.  Each screening costs £5,000.” 

Mrs Bowen said: “It’s really good of Dean to do this.  It’s great that he has chosen to help our charity.”