Mum's charity fun day in son's memory

Emma Nicholas wants to use the heartache she suffered after the death of Peter Griffiths at just seven weeks and six days to stop others having to face the same ordeal.

She has joined with the White Horse pub, in Chichester Road, to hold a day of activities for all ages on Sunday, May 4.

Emma will use the occasion to raise awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or cot death, as well as some money for the Foundation for SIDS to help it publicise the condition and fund research into causes.

She said: "I can't begin to explain what it's like to lose a baby like I did Peter.

"It's heartbreaking. One of the hardest things is not knowing why my son died. It would have been a bit better had it been a definite cause such as a heart attack or a car crash.

"There are a lot of risk factors associated with SIDS. I didn't know much about SIDS, the factors which can cause it and what you can do to reduce the chances of it. A lot of other people don't know much about it either."

Peter was born eight weeks prematurely on April 11, 2004. He weighed 5lb 9oz.

He was a heathly baby and mother and son were discharged from hospital after three days.

"He was a healthy baby for eight weeks," said Emma (30), of Dorset Road. "He was happy and very placid. He didn't cry very often and was as good as gold."

But sales assistant Emma put him into his cot when he was seven weeks and six days old '“ and he never woke up.

"I woke up in the morning and he had slept longer than he normally would," she recalled.

"I went to pick him up and he was not breathing."

A police investigation was launched into the circumstances of Peter's death. An inquest was eventually held which determined its cause as SIDS.

Emma found the Foundation's support invaluable. It provided her with someone to speak to day and night. Its advice also helped her to explain to her daughter, Tegan Griffiths (then aged 14 months), what had happened to Peter.

"Four years on, and I had a bit of breakdown, and wanted to go and join Peter. But SIDS were really, really good to me now. There is no time limit on their help," explained Emma.

She was living in Aberdare in South Wales at the time of Peter's death but has since moved to Bognor.

She has become a customer of the White Horse. The idea for the bank holiday weekend fun arose three weeks ago when she talking to people in the pub. Everyone there has totally backed her. The event will start at midday. A variety of family fun will include indoor and outdoor entertainment, weather permitting.

The live music will start at 7pm and continue until midnight. Those due to appear are The Suits, The Feel , Val Crowe and Cupid. All of them have agreed to play for free.