THE widow of a 35-year-old man, who died after collapsing with a heart attack, is commemorating their first wedding anniversary by organising a weekend of events to raise money for charity.

And Heather Slevin hopes that her fundraising efforts will help to get the bottom of why people as young as husband Gerald die.

Gerald, known as Ged, of Church, passed away on Sunday, April 13, after suffering a heart attack in the Asda superstore, in Accrington. He had been married to Heather for only 10 months.

Heather, 44, has spent the last two months organising the weekend of events to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

The Miners Arms, Blackburn Road, will run a pool knockout competition and raffle with an Accrington Stanley football and child's shirt, and a book detailing 50 years of Blackburn Rovers up for grabs on Saturday.

And The George, also in Blackburn Road, will run a karaoke night, a charity leg waxing event and the draw of the raffle on Sunday -the date of the couple's first anniversary.

Ged, a former Mount Carmel pupil had been shopping at Asda when he was taken ill. Mrs Slevin rushed from her job as a care worker to be with him. He was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary but attempts to resuscitate him failed.

Heather said the trying time she and her family have had to face would have been all the more difficult had it not been for the charity events. She said: "Organising these events has kept my mind occupied. If it had not been for this I don't know what I would have done. I just don't want to know that there is some woman sitting on her own and going through what I have been through. And also to fathom out why people as young as Ged die so we can stop it.

"This is just my way of coping. I'm just trying to get through our anniversary and get these events out of the way, it has been quite stressful.

"I suppose it will hit me more once I stop flapping around about these charity nights, which have taken a lot of work.

"The whole family is involved. The kids all wanted to do something, my 13-year-old daughter Julie-Anne is going to have a small stall selling books and games outside the Miners and my other daughter Jennifer's partner Paul Griffin is waxing his legs along with some others.

"Everybody has been great, whenever I go round I'm sure they're thinking 'Oh no she's got her raffle book with her again' but they have been wonderful.

"My neighbours have bought them without even asking what the prizes are and the two pubs have been great. it's lovely to know how many people are rallying around and how many care."

Adman Kocdemir, 44, landlord of The George, said: "Ged was a regular here, he was a good person with a great personality. It was a shock to hear of his death and I'm only too happy to help.

Raffle tickets are available at The George or by ringing Adman on 01254 383441."