THE family of a baby who died minutes after being born are raising money to help people affected by the condition that claimed his life, and other causes close to their hearts.

Claire and David Vickery, from Spennymoor, lost their first child, Harry, to a genetic kidney disorder soon after his birth in January, 2010.

His death was a complete shock to the couple as they had no idea that both carried the same autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease gene.

A year later Mr and Mrs Vickery, who now have a healthy two-year-old daughter, Lucy, raised more than £1,000 for national child bereavement charity, Sands.

Now Mrs Vickery, 30, her sister and brother-in-law, Victoria and Shaun Kelly, both 34, from Auckland Park, near Bishop Auckland, and father Allan Gregson, 57, of Spennymoor, are training for the Great North Run this September.

Mrs Vickery will run for the PKD Charity which offers patient support, funds research and raises awareness of a range of inherited kidney disorders.

She said: “For me to raise money and awareness of the charity and condition is a bit of a legacy.

“If we can contribute to the charity’s work to help families, to try to find a cure or way of helping children with the condition live longer, better lives it is a good thing.”

Mr and Mrs Kelly will run for the Great North Air Ambulance and Mr Gregson will tackle the half marathon in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Mrs Vickery said: “We were already a close family before losing Harry but that affected us all a great deal.

“It is important for us to come together to do something positive, to give something back and help people.

“The air ambulance and a cancer charity are both very good causes that help so many people and any one of us could need one day.”

To boost the family’s fundraising efforts they will host a charity family fun day at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Saturday June 29, noon to 5pm. Activities will include Steve’s Animal Ark, a bouncy castle, snail races, new age kurling, face painting, stalls and a raffle and tombola.