A NORTHWICH man is set to get the town grooving after almost losing his grandson to meningitis.

John Valentine, 52, of Davenham, watched helplessly as little Dylan Valentine fought for his life when he contracted the virus aged just nine months old.

Now the boilermaker for Henry Smith Constructional Engineers in Winsford plans to bring Northern Soul and Motown back to Northwich Memorial Hall to raise funds for the Meningitis Trust on Friday, November 6.

Dylan, who lives in Brunner Mond Crescent, Castle, with mum Kate Moores and dad Christopher Valentine, fell into a coma and spent three weeks hooked up to machines in the intensive care unit at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

John, of Hartford Road, said: “It started with a temperature but he didn’t have a rash or anything.

“Then he grew very, very quiet and his lips started turning blue so we rushed him to Leighton Hospital. He was unconscious by the time we got there.

“Nobody knew what was going to happen to him, he was just a baby and we were all very scared, the doctors couldn’t say if he would be all right or not, we just had to wait. It was a terrible thing to go through, especially for his mum and dad.”

Meningitis is an infectious disease that can kill within hours or leave sufferers with severe after-effects including brain damage, deafness and where septicaemia (blood poisoning) has occurred, even loss of limbs.

Fortunately Dylan, who is now an energetic six-year-old pupil at Charles Darwin Primary School, made a full recovery but some children are not so lucky.

John added: “The Meningitis Trust provides practical and emotional support for life, helping rebuild lives that have been shattered by meningitis.

“Thankfully my grandson made a full recovery, otherwise we really would have needed their help. That’s why we want to do something to help them.

“Thirty years ago this kind of thing happened every night down at the ‘Morgue’ so it will be great to get something going again.”

Northwich Soul Club DJ Derek Smith and Winsford Liberal Soul Club DJ Stuart Garrett will join DJs Mike Leicester and Roger Conneely in playing for free, and Henry Smiths employees made donations to buy a banner.

Tickets priced £5 can be booked by calling John on 01606 331451, Roger on 01606 872880 or Derek on 07732 328354.