FAMILY and friends of a young Totton man killed in a motorbike accident have turned out to help build a future for his baby son and his fiancee.

John Cooper, 21, died when he was the pillion passenger on a Suzuki which crashed in Northlands Road, Southampton, on September 8.

The machine's rider, Daniel Loveridge, 22, also died in the crash.

His father Chris and brother Michael, dressed up as Batman and Robin, were both in the line-up of 15 riders who braved the weather for a 26-mile charity bike ride from the Old Farmhouse pub at Totton to Calshot and back on Saturday.

"This is something we all feel we've got to do," said Chris.

Money is still coming in, but organiser Debbie Smith is hoping that the fancy dress event will raise more than £2,000 as a nest-egg which will help John's fiancee Louise with the upbringing of baby Charlie, who is now just one year old

There was an imaginative selection of of fancy dress garb including clowns and even a fairy godmother. The clowns were Louise's dad Jeff Cooper and his workmate Darren Stephens with John's cousin Danny dressed as a convict.

But there was no clowning once they set off on the serious business of raising the money in memory of the young stonemason, who was looked upon as a thoughtful and kind young man who would have done exactly the same if he had the opportunity to help someone.

"We want to help put something by for little Charlie," said Danny who boxes welterweight and is a former Amateur Boxing Association junior and English Schools' finalist. He is aiming for a come-back in the new year.

The boxing world was also represented by British Masters super middleweight champion Matthew Barney from Nottingham.

Matthew travelled south with his father and is setting his sights on the world title held by Tony Oakey from Portsmouth.