A MOTHER who lost her nine-year-old son in a road accident last week has launched a campaign to persuade youngsters to wear cycle helmets.

Football fanatic Ryan Marshall died as he cycled home in Bearpark, near Durham City, to watch England play in the World Cup.

Now Ryan's mother and stepfather, Anna and Victor Sigsworth, have launched their Wear a Helmet campaign to try to save other families from suffering the same loss.

In the front room of her home in Taylor Avenue, surrounded by condolence cards, Mrs Sigsworth spoke of her fun-loving son, whose passions were cycling and football.

Ryan was out on his bike with his ten-year-old brother, Mikey, last Thursday. They were on their way home to catch the kick-off in England's match against Trinidad and Tobago when Ryan rode into the path of a van.

He was knocked to the ground and then hit by a car.

Ryan, a pupil at St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Ushaw Moor, sustained massive head and leg injuries and was certified dead at the scene.

Ryan, Mikey and elder son Jordan, 11, all owned cycling helmets - but did not wear them.

"None of their friends wore helmets and, kids being kids, they liked to be the same as their pals and wouldn't wear them," she said.

"But we don't want anyone to go through what we are going through and we are determined now to devote all our energy into a campaign to get every kid on a bike to wear a helmet.''

While speed is not believed to have been a factor in Ryan's death, the Sigsworths are also calling for speed-calming measures in the village.

Yesterday, the family was making funeral arrangements for the little boy who they say will be "forever young.''

Ryan will be borne in a white, horse-drawn carriage draped in England's red and white colours to St Josesph's RC Church, in Ushaw Moor, on Friday, for a funeral service beginning at 2.30pm.