MENINGITIS victim Chloe Jackson will be remembered with a grave headstone - thanks to a gift from a local firm of undertakers.

The Atherton toddler died shortly before her first birthday after being rushed to Royal Bolton Hospital.

Immediately local shopkeepers and taxi drivers started to raise money for a fund to buy a headstone.

But this week funeral directors Sankey-Monks of Leigh offered the headstone so that cash in the fund could be use instead for meningitis research.

And Chloe's mum, Samantha, accepted the generous offer.

She told The Journal: "Now that we've had the headstone offered, we would like the cash in the fund to go towards meningitis research.

"Brian and I are touched by the money already raised and the headstone offer. We would like to thank everyone who has given to the fund. They have been so kind following the tragic loss of Chloe."

A spokeswoman for Sankey-Monks said they were happy the money in the fund could now be used to help other children.

Donations to the fund can still be made to Abbey Funerals, 45 Mealhouse Lane, Atherton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.