A FATHER who lost his son to meningococcal septicaemia is holding a motocross race meeting tomorrow in his memory.

Since launching the annual event in 2003, Mick White has raised more than £10,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

About 100 riders are expected to take part in the event, which is being held eight years to the day since his son, Louis, died, shortly before his second birthday.

Mick, of Lawrence Street, York, said all proceeds would go towards funding important scientific research into meningitis, raising awareness of its symptoms and supporting people affected by the devastating disease.

He said: “One minute someone can be running around in the garden and the next week you can be planning a funeral.

“Meningitis can take anybody’s life, no matter how healthy they are.” The event will be signposted off the A1079 at Wilberfoss and racing will start at noon, with four different ability classes for spectators to enjoy. Louis’s mum, Karrin, said: “Louis loved bikes. As soon as he heard Mick’s bike he used to twist his hands and say ‘brum, brum’. He could say that before he could say anything else.”

Both Mick and Karrin are determined to raise awareness of meningitis and its symptoms to help prevent other families suffering the same heartache.

Karrin said: “I took him to the doctors at 6.30pm thinking I was being an over-reactive mum, and the doctor sent him straight to hospital. At the hospital they knew he had a serious infection, but it wasn’t until the rash came out at 5.30 in the morning that they knew it was meningitis. He died three hours later.”

Mick said they were desperate for volunteers to help out tomorrow and asked anybody who could spare a few hours to phone him on 07765 350 761.