THE families of two young men who died from undetected heart conditions are helping to buy new equipment for Darwen Health Centre.

Relatives of Neil Wickers and David Staff set up a memorial fund supporting the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity after their family tragedies.

Neil, 31, from Darwen, collapsed at a gym in Blackburn in 1996.

He was believed to have had a faulty heart valve.

David, 17, of Carus Avenue, Hoddlesden, died after collapsing near the end of a 10-kilometre road race in 1994.

He was found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which a heart muscle thickens.

The charity has raised money over several years towards various pieces of important medical aids, including a mobile electrocardiogram unit.

It has also helped to finance an annual cardiac screening service.

Now Neil's uncle, Brian Taylor, has completed the London Marathon to raise £515.

That will be added to £1,000 donated by Holland Pies of Baxenden to buy an ambulatory blood pressure recorder.