The family of a boy who died nine years ago from a heart condition are commemorating what would have been his 18th birthday by raising money for the ward where his two sisters are treated.

Daron Lyons died suddenly aged nine and it was only when tests were carried out on the rest of the family that his mother and two sisters were found to also be suffering serious heart conditions.

Now the Baildon family want to turn the tragedy into something positive and are raising funds for the ward at Leeds General Infirmary, where his sisters continue to be looked after.

Mother Beverley Lyons, of Castlemoor Road, said it was an emotional time for her and her husband Michael. "Daron would have been 18 in February," she said.

"You don't stop grieving, there are just different levels of grief you go through, but we were determined to make something positive come from his death."

She said to this day they did not know what had actually caused Daron's death.

"He fell off a wall but he didn't die from the fall. There was already something wrong with him. When he died we were all tested and my two daughters and I were found to have heart problems too."

Mrs Lyons was fitted with a pacemaker eight years ago and her eldest daughter Jemma, 14, pictured, also has a pacemaker.

Her other daughter Aimee, nine, also pictured, receives treatment at the LGI.

They had planned to raise £1,000 to buy a portable machine which measures oxygen in the blood. But they have already exceeded their target by raising more than £1,600 and now are hoping to collect as much as possible.

A fundraising event is planned for Saturday, at the Copper Beech Club in Baildon, and the two sisters have also been raising cash at their schools, Salt Grammar and Sandal Primary.

Mrs Lyons, who works as a secretary at Bradford University, said the girls had organised events and sold raffle tickets. "Aimee held a bun sale and a table-top sale," she said. "They have both done a lot of organising for this event on Saturday."

There will be a disco, supper, tombola and quizzes for adults and children. Anyone who can donate a prize should send an e-mail to b.j.lyons@ bradford.ac.uk or call (01274) 584131.

Mr Lyons, 43, will also tackle the Three Peaks walk in May. A spokesman for the LGI said: "It's very kind of the family to do something like this, turning a tragedy into something positive. We are very grateful for their help in raising money for the ward."