THE generosity of the public has overwhelmed the Chester-le-Street family fighting to secure the convictions of Greek doctors for their son's death.

The parents of Christopher Rochester, 24, who bled to death in hospital on Rhodes in 2000 after a balcony fall, need to raise £2,000 by Saturday, February 5, so they can hire lawyers to fight appeals by medics convicted of manslaughter by negligence.

A weekend of fund-raising looks to have taken them more than half-way to their total.

A street collection in Chester-le-Street's Front Street on Saturday brought in £643.60 to add to the £180 collected on Friday outside the Lambton Arms pub, where Christopher was a barman, during the five-hour sponsored silence by friend Debi Burrows, a bakery shop worker, who gathered pledges totalling £250 for her effort.

On Friday evening drinkers at the pub gave a further £105, taking the potential total to more than £1,100.

Christopher's mother and stepfather, Pam and George Cummings, are delighted and are confident of reaching their target in time. "We are totally overwhelmed, not just by people's generosity and the contributions to the fund, but by the support they have given us," said Mr Cummings.

"People have been following the story and know all the details.

"We are confident we will raise the money for our legal costs and that takes a great deal of pressure off the family and trust members.

"People's support has bolstered us and given us the strength to fly out to Rhodes knowing so many people back home will be following every detail."

The tragedy happened while Christopher was on holiday, because his family say, he did not get the treatment he needed in hospital.

Three doctors were convicted of manslaughter by negligence in 2003 and jailed for three years - but the sentence has not be implemented pending their automatic appeal, due to start on Tuesday, February 8. The family say they are still working at the hospital.

Family members fear that the convictions could be overturned if they do not have lawyers to argue their case.

They will be flying out for what is expected to be a three-day hearing that will consider evidence from the original trial.

"All that we have achieved could go down the plughole if we cannot get the convictions upheld," said Mr Cummings.

"We don't want another holidaymaker in that hospital to be in the same position as Christopher was in."

People can donate to the Christopher Rochester Trust Fund at any Lloyds TSB branch.