THE ashes of one of Blackburn Rovers' keenest fans, 24-year-old Darren John Atkinson, were scattered at Ewood Park yesterday.

Darren, who suffered from multiple sclerosis, died in a tragic accident in a hyperbaric chamber at his home in the Isle of Man in November.

Burnley-born Darren lived at Sabden until the family moved to the Isle of Man.

Among the family at Ewood was the son he never lived to see, who has been named Connor Ewood Darren.

The baby, who is having his name put down as the club's youngest member, was with his mother Kirsteen and other members of the family.

Special permission was obtained from the club

His ashes were scattered in the penalty area by his father John, who used to attend matches with him, and a baptist minister said prayers. Darren's mum Sandra, said: "It was a very sad occasion but this is where Darren would have wanted his ashes to be.''

Darren, his brother David, dad John and wife Kirsteen were all members of the Isle of Man Blackburn Rovers Supporters Club.

On Darren's 21st birthday he was taken on a tour of the club, and had his photo taken with Alan Shearer and Alan Wright.

Keen sportsman Darren was 20 when the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis started.

It was diagnosed in 1993 when he was 21.

The condition became progressively worse.

He needed treatment in a hyperbaric chamber used by divers and his family clubbed together to get his own so he could use it whenever necessary.

It was in the chamber that he died from carbon monoxide intoxication.

His wife, who was then six months pregnant, found him dead.

Several members of the family came over to Blackburn to attend the scattering of the ashes.

Darren's grandmother still lives in Padiham. His other grandmother is at Freckleton and he has aunts in Burnley and Barrow, near Whalley.

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