A COUPLE whose young son died last year have raised £1,000 in his memory.

Trevor and Jackie Martin, of Etty Avenue, Tang Hall, York, were devastated when their 17-week-old son, Adam, died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or cot death, last November.

After months of distress, the couple turned their experience into something positive, focusing their minds on raising money for the special care baby unit, at York District Hospital.

The Martins embarked on a strict weight-loss diet seven weeks ago, with the help of Slimming World, and they have both now either reached, or surpassed, their target.

Mrs Martin, who has just found out she is pregnant again, said even though Adam had never been treated at the unit, a member of the specialist team visits her and her husband at home every week.

She said: "We wanted to do something to help other people. It's not just us going through this, it's others as well, and we thought this was the best thing we could do.

"We both obviously needed to lose weight, and it's given us something to concentrate on. Adam didn't have a chance to go into the unit, he was dead in his cot at home.

"But a lady from the special care baby unit comes to our house every week without fail. Jenny Harwood has offered us support for months and months. She's been a rock. When I've been upset she's come over, sometimes at 10pm or 11pm, just to talk to me, she's been amazing."

The couple, who have two other children, four-year-old Alex and two-year-old Karina, are celebrating their weight loss and have vowed to continue. At the start of the diet, Mrs Martin weighed in at 15st 12lb and has lost exactly one stone. Mr Martin weighed in at 17st 10lb and has lost 1st 10lbs.

Updated: 11:02 Tuesday, August 28, 2001