FOR many this Father's Day will be a chance to spend time with their loved ones.

For Mike Barringer it will be an emotional reminder of the daughter he lost.

But he is urging other fathers and their children to take up a fundraising challenge on the day that he knows she would have approved of.

Mike's world was turned upside down when daughter Sophie was diagnosed with Wilm's disease, a form of kidney cancer.

Despite a brave battle, the six-year-old died just over a year later in December 2004 but Mike has spent the last 11 years since helping other families in the same heartbreaking situation.

Mike, an airside operations duty officer at Southampton Airport since 1994, has long wanted to hold a runway event but the airport's growing flights made it more difficult.

But now the airport, whose staff have helped Mike fundraise many times, has picked its quietest time of the week - early Sunday morning - for the Summer Solstice Sprint.

On June 21 at 6am, runners, who are encouraged to don fancy dress, will take on 5km to raise money for Sophie's Appeal, the charity Mike and wife Lin, 57 founded in the wake of Sophie's diagnosis.

Mike will be helping to run the event, combining that with his job to clear the runway of debris afterwards.

"It will be emotional," said the 43-year-old, of Ruskin Road, Eastleigh.

"I know Sophie would have loved to have done it with me.

"There will be sadness there, I would have loved to have spent it with her.

"Eleven years down the line it still feels like yesterday.

"But when people say it gets easier it does get easier but you don't forget - there's not a day that goes past that there isn't something that reminds you."

He admitted he was relieved that young children under 12 were not able to take part as he felt that would be too much to bear, adding "Sophie will always be six years old to me, I never saw her grow up".

Sophie's Appeal raises vital funds to help children, their parents or carers, nursing and support staff dealing with childhood cancer

Mike recalled how Sophie had been actively involved in early fundraising efforts and after appearing as a mascot in a Saints football match alongside striker James Beattie, who later became the charity's patron, she offered her autograph to nurses for £1 donations.

Even before her illness Sophie had run Race for Life in Southampton, but following chemotherapy treatment in 2004 she was so determined to take part she went directly from her hospital bed.

And Mike knows the difference charity funded experiences can make having been given a family trip to Disneyland Paris when Sophie was terminally ill.

"The memories I have got from that will last the rest of my life - I can still see her squealing with delight," he said.

Sophie would have turned 18 next March and Mike urged fathers to take part and to spend quality time with their children.

"You never know when it's going to end," he added.

Entry costs £15. For more information visit southamptonairport.com/run.