Lewis celebrating 21st birthday by marching from Salford to Blackpool Tower in aid of Derian House Children's Hospice which cared for the older brother he never met

Lewis Kenny will mark the milestone by walking from his home in Salford to Blackpool Tower on Saturday.

Joined by a group of close friends, he will make the trek in memory of his brother Daniel Strickland who died aged 12 from a brain tumour.

His dad Liam will also drive a mini bus filled with refreshments, ready to drive the group home at the end of the walk.

So far, Lewis has raised more than £2,000 for Derian House Children's Hospice, where his brother spent the last 18 months of his short life.

He said: “I grew up aware of Dan, I’ve been told a lot of stories about him and I’ve always asked a lot of questions but I never had the chance to meet him.

“Derian did a lot for our family. I idolise Dan and I idolise the staff at Derian for what they did for him.

“My dad did a lot of fundraising after we lost Dan and I want to continue the trend. This walk is our way of thanking everyone at Derian for what they did and the memories they helped my family make with Dan.

“I also want to keep Dan’s name alive. I suppose it’s my way of having a relationship with him – the relationship I never had.

“I’ll be with a group of people I love and some who knew Dan, some who didn’t. I’ve been training and I’m confident I’ll get it done – I’m buzzing for it. But I’m not looking forward to the blisters!

“I have devoted everything to this - Derian is only here thanks to the people who keep the charity alive. And I don’t think this is the end – hopefully I’ll continue the fundraising that my dad started. Who knows, maybe I’ll be doing something even bigger next year!”

Daniel’s step-dad, Liam Kenny, said: “Dan first became ill aged 10 and he had an operation that removed 98% of a brain tumour. We thought he would be okay after that but I remember I took him to a football match and he slept all the way through it – not like him at all – and I knew something still wasn’t right.

“I was against the idea of a hospice at first if I’m honest, I imagined a hospital ward. I think I was also a bit in denial about what was going to happen.

“We stayed in a family flat at Derian House and it was not at all what I expected – I never thought I’d see so many happy people having fun. The nurses at Derian cared for him unbelievably. They even let his Cocker Spaniel, Badger the dog, stay with him at the hospice.

“The memories that me and Daniel’s mum, Angela, made with him – we wouldn’t have them without Derian.

Donate to Lewis’s walk at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Lewis-Kenny