A COUSIN of Sonny Ferry - a teenager who drowned in York's River Foss last month - is to stage a 24-hour danceathon in support of an appeal to buy a new York Rescue Boat.

Hayleigh Lockwood Twose is backing the Sunshine Campaign, which has already raised £9,300 towards the £45,000 cost of a new craft.

Hayleigh, a teacher with Rutland Youth Dance Academy, will start the danceathon at Studio E in Princess Avenue, Oakham, at 8am tomorrow, with classes running until midnight.

She and a friend Leanne Murphy will then dance thorough the night and be rejoined by guests for a final hour at 7am on Monday.

Sonny, from Rutland, died after falling in the Foss during a night out in York city centre last month. He was one of five people to die in York's rivers in a three week period.

His parents Kate and Stephen launched the appeal following his death in a bid to help prevent further tragedies in the rivers.

The new craft will be larger and fitted with state-of-the-art sonar and radio communications equipment.

*To donate to the appeal, go to www.gofundme.com/the-sunshine-campaign.