The loved ones of a man who died of a rare heart disorder will be marking his birthday with a fund-raiser to help prevent more tragedies.
Levon Morland, 22, died in his sleep four years ago from Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome. Since his death his family and friends have raised more than £90,000 for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) and worked to increase awareness of heart problems.
Levon, who had worked as a holiday rep in Majorca, Tenerife and Ibiza after leaving Belmont Comprehensive and Durham Sixth form, would have celebrated his 26th birthday in April.
Last year a sponsored walk raised £650, with more than 60 people setting out on the nine-mile route from Seaham to Levon's home village of West Rainton.
Now it is hoped its success will be repeated, with another to be held on Saturday, April 22 – the day before Levon would have celebrated his 26th birthday.
His identical twin brother Aran, older brother Brendon, 34, mother Sandra, 53, and father Jeff, 52, are planning to take part in the event and hope that others will take up their invitation to join the walk.
Mr Morland said: "It's great exercise, for one thing. It gets the heart and circulation going and it raises awareness.
"All the money raised will be going to CRY, and we will be handing out leaflets to people we meet along the way.
"We'll end it in the pub, where we'll have a few well-earned drinks and nibbles, and it's just jolly good fun."
Mrs Morland said: "We still miss Levon terribly.
"If he knew what we were doing he would have loved it, and if he was here now he'd be right amongst it all.
"He was just such a good kid.
"Last year was such a good laugh and there was a great atmosphere."
The walk will set of from Church Street in Seaham and head up The Avenue before heading out across fields to Houghton.
There will be a pub stop for refreshments at the Spring Inn and then the group will head on to West Rainton, where they will finish at the Greyhound pub.
As well as raising money for CRY, the family and their friends are campaigning for those hitting their teenage years to undergo a heart check to help discover any irregularities.
Anyone interested in joining the walk can contact the Morlands on 584 0153 or family friend Susan Phillips on 07930 330 632.
The funds raised in Levon's memory were boosted by a further donation of £1,000 from the promoters of music nights at the Daisy Hill pub near Sacriston last week.
