A FUN day held in memory of a popular young man who died following an asthma attack has raised more than £600 for charity.

Naomi Cassidy

A FUN day held in memory of a popular young man who died following an asthma attack has raised more than £600 for charity.

Family and friends of David Halley-Frame are so pleased with how the annual charity football match went, that they have already begun to arrange next year's event.

Mr Halley-Frame, a worker at St Clement's Hospital, died from an asthma attack in Ipswich three years ago tomorrowafter an ambulance failed to reach him in time.

Since then his heartbroken loved ones have held the charity day in his honour, and have raised a total £2,000 for the Asthma Foundation.

As well as the football match between Mr Halley-Frame's friends and his hospital colleagues at the St Clement's Social Club off Foxhall Road on Sunday, there was also a cake and pastry stall, barbeque and bouncy castle. Mr Halley-Frame's friends turned out to be the victors in the match.

More than 250 visitors turned up for the day and enjoyed all the activities in the August sunshine.

Mr Halley-Frame's mother, Diane Halley-Frame, of King's Way, Ipswich, said: “Every year we hope to make it bigger and better and this year, we did.

“It is nice to think that the money is going to a good cause to help people with asthma.

“We always say we will leave the weather up to David and every year, he hasn't let us down. It started off overcast but then the sun came out for the afternoon.

“We are already thinking about next year's event now and hope to make it even bigger.”

This year's event has topped last year, when £400 was raised.

- The 25-year-old West Ham fan had been on a night out with friends in Ipswich town centre in the early hours of August 27, 2005, when he was struck down by an asthma attack near Upper Orwell Street.

Despite a number of 999 calls, it took 31 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

A minute before an ambulance reached him, he stopped breathing and attempts to resuscitate him failed.

It emerged afterwards that an ambulance had to be sent from Bury St Edmunds because all the ambulances in Ipswich were busy that night.