FAMILY and friends will unite today, Friday, to bid farewell to a cancer campaigner who tragically lost his fight for life.

University student James Dickinson, aged 19, who suffered from a form of skin cancer, had been in training for a marathon relay race for the Cancer Research Campaign.

But his condition deteriorated last week and he died in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Parents John and Gill, of Winwick Lane, Lowton, and girlfriend Helen Balshaw, with James' cousins, aunts and uncles, still intend to carry his fighting spirit with them as they participate in the Victoria Park charity race.

Junior ju-jitsu colleagues in Culcheth went ahead with a martial arts fundraising night on Monday in tribute to James, who was a black belt and helped to train youngsters there.

The former Lowton High School pupil had also been set to receive a gold Duke of Edinburgh award and was hoping to return Salford University to resume his degree in computing and business studies.

Dad John is adamant his funeral, this afternoon, Friday, will not be a sombre affair, with nearly 200 people expected to gather on the Independent Methodist Church in Lowton.

"There will be the traditional stuff at the funeral of course but it will also be a joyful occasion, with all his friends there," he said.

He said James, who suffered from a series of tumours during his young life, had been "in a lot of pain" in his final hours.

James had been cycling in preparation for his latest sponsored effort - while receiving radiotherapy for a tumour in his knee.

Fellow members of the Culcheth Jujitsu Club, some as young as seven, were inspired to stage a sponsored throwing contest on Monday.

Coach Gary Knowles, who knew James for 12 years, said members were "keen to do something for James."

Taking parts in trials for various anti-cancer drugs, he had latterly been on a course of thalidomide.

He was named as the Cancer Research Campaign's Student of the Year in 1998 for his positive attitude to life with cancer.

The funeral service begins at 1pm, moving to Walton Lea crematorium later.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.