MEMBERS of a tragedy-hit cricket club raised £3,400 in memory of two children.

In December, Kearsley Cricket Club second XI captain Steve Pellowe's 15-month-old son Charlie died, after suffering illnesses brought on by cerebral palsy.

Three months later, under 15s team captain Chris Burgess, aged 15, died after a long battle against a blood illness.

Junior coach Carrie Rogers and her mum, Wendy Rogers, club stewardess, decided to organise an event in their memory to raise funds for St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, where both youngsters were treated.

Miss Rogers said: "Chris was a fantastic cricketer and golfer, he was so athletic. Everybody who knew him loved him and he had millions of mates.

"I also used to babysit Charlie to give his mum and dad a break, so both children meant a lot to me."

Mr Pellowe, who has captained the second XI for three years, said staff at the hospital's neo-natal unit had been brilliant.

"Charlie was born 12 weeks prematurely with brain damage and spent four of the first five months of his life in St Mary's. We were spending more time there than at home.

"When he came out of hospital, he was fine and there was every chance he could have a reasonably normal life. But cerebral palsy is quite progressive and he didn't develop quite the way babies should.

"He had been picking up colds and chest infections, but there was nothing to suggest he would stop breathing, so it was a horrible shock when he died."

Production supervisor Mr Pellowe, aged 34, of Avon Road, Kearsley, said he and partner Gwen Wetherby, aged 32, had been touched by the support from fellow clubmates.

"It was a great night and we raised a lot of money," he said.

Miss Rogers said the whole community pulled together for the cause.

"The support we had was just phenomenal. We went round all the shops and got donations and raffle prizes," she said.

Among the prizes on offer were two signed gloves from boxer Amir Khan and a test jersey from English cricketer Saj Mahmood.

The event, held on May 5 at the club's Springfield Road base, also featured stand-up comedy, bingo and live band Mustard.