ALMOST 200 young people attended a heart screening event at Bideford recently.

The two-day event was paid for by the Luckett family, of Hartland, who raise funds in memory of their son Martyn, who tragically died in July 2005 from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, aged 19.

Every week in the UK, around 12 young people under the age of 35 die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition — 80% of these deaths occur with no prior symptoms.

CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) carries out a screening programme that now tests 23,000 young people across the UK every year.

One in every 300 of the young people that CRY tests will be identified with a potentially life threatening condition.

The team uses a simple and non-invasive way of diagnosing most cardiac abnormalities, a quick, painless electrocardiogram (ECG).

At the Bideford screenings, the team screened 180 people over the two days and six of these have been referred for further testing.

Brenda Luckett, Martyn’s mother, said she was delighted with how the screenings went:?“It was a lovely atmosphere as we have such a great team who come down to carry out the screening.”

She appealed for anyone who has any fundraising ideas to get in touch to help boost the screening fund.

Brenda can be contacted on 07881 476669 or email [email protected]

The heart screening clinic will be held in Bude next March. More details can be found at www.c-r-y.org.uk