'We want to keep Kieran’s memory alive'

Chris Davies, 29, of Rawdon Avenue, Tang Hall, will pull on his football boots for the soccer extravaganza on Saturday, which is raising money for other young sufferers of the condition.

More than 50 of the family's friends are paying £5 for the privilege of playing for the Kieran Davies Memorial Trophy and will be split into six teams.

Chris said they had also been inspired to form a Sunday league football team, sponsored by his local pub, The Rose And Crown, in Lawrence Street.

The Press previously reported how six-year-old Kieran died in his parents' arms after suffering an asthma attack.

The couple frantically tried to revive the youngster as he struggled for breath and slipped into unconsciousness. Doctors later told them there was nothing more anyone could have done to save him because of the severity of the attack.

Chris and his wife, Alison, now want to raise as much money as possible in order to buy local GPs vital equipment like portable nebulisers to help asthma sufferers.

"It's brilliant that so many people have shown us support," Chris said.

"We've raised £300 already and no one has kicked a ball yet. It's good that we can see that the money will be used for something worthwhile and not just get swallowed up in the system. It feels like we are actually achieving something."

The couple, who have an eight-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son, said Kieran suffered an acute asthma attack which was brought on by a chest infection.

He used inhalers and took steroids and antibiotics but they were unable to prevent the tragedy.

"We are all feeling really passionate about the football trophy because we want to keep Kieran's memory alive," Chris said.

"Grant and Becky, who run the Rose And Crown, have been really supportive and are putting food on for us afterwards.

"We've tried to focus on something Kieran would have enjoyed."

The memorial match kicks off at 3pm, on Saturday, at Kieran's school, St Lawrence's in York.