A LEADING heart expert is supporting efforts in East Lancashire to prevent sudden deaths among young people from previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions.

Bill and Irene Wickers of Cyprus Street, Darwen, and Susan and Granville Staff, of Carus Avenue, Hoddlesden, starting raising funds and awareness about heart problems after the trauma of losing their sons in similar circumstances.

Neil Wickers, 31, a financial advisor, of St Albans Road, Darwen, collapsed at the Albion Mill gym in Blackburn in August 1996 - Monday is the anniversary of his death. His heart had been weakened by a virus he didn't know he had.

Former Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School pupil David Staff, 17, died in December 1994 after collapsing near the end of a 10k road race at Clitheroe.

They joined forces more than two years ago to support the charity CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young - and have raised £13,000 so far which has helped secure a mobile ECG unit. Professor William McKenna chief cardiologist at St George's Hospital, London, has now agreed to oversee all cardiograms carried out in the area and do any relevant follow-ups.

Irene said: "A CRY office is opening up at the hospital on September 14 and soon after that we can start doing the screening which can detect 90 per cent of the heart conditions which kill young people.

"It is great that Prof McKenna and his team are backing the charity in this way.

"We have wonderful supporters and will soon be inviting any groups or clubs which have contact with young people under 35 to get in touch to arrange screening sessions.

"We are also keen to push for Government action. Undiagnosed heart conditions are more common than cerebral palsy so it is ridiculous that there is no national screening programme."

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