SINGING superstar Craig David has pledged to support a tribute festival planned in memory of popular Hampshire rugby player killed in a road smash.

Thousands of people are backing plans for a music event to remember Macaulay Campbell – known as Mac - after an appeal from the promising sportsman's family and friends went viral on the internet.

Now Craig - born and bred in Southampton - is leading a host of international musicians and sportspeople rallying behind the MacFest campaign which has united the music and sporting communities in Hampshire and beyond in memory of the 20-year-old.

It is also understood that Southampton Football Club was planning to pay tribute to Mac at half-time during today's Premier League match against Chelsea at St Mary's.

Last night Mac’s loved ones said they have been left overwhelmed with messages of support from people such as Stormzy, Radio One DJs Charlie Sloth and Scott Mills, Bestival and Common People organiser Rob Da Bank, plus footballers Shane Long, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, James Ward-Prowse, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Francis Benali.

They revealed they will donate some of the £11,000 funds raised shortly after his death in a separate internet crowdfunding page towards the festival planned around the time he would have celebrate his 21st birthday on April 4.

It is just a month before the festival-mad fan had been eagerly awaiting to see Craig at this spring’s Common People festival.

As previously reported Mac, from Rownhams, died when his black VW Lupo was involved in a collision with another car on the A3057 near Romsey Golf Club at about 10.30pm last Saturday.

It was just hours after he was named man-of-the-match for his team Romsey Rugby Club in a top of the table clash.

Every night hundreds of grief-stricken people have held candlelit vigils, laid flower bouquets, mementos, rugby balls and heartfelt messages for the former Mountbatten School pupil.

Girlfriend Fleur Gollogly had launched a personal appeal for Craig - who has recently launched a chart revival with his new single When the Bassline Drops with Big Narstie - to play for them.

Within 12 hours thousands of people were spreading the word using the MacFest Twitter account and hashtag.

Craig wrote on his Twitter account: “This is tragic. My heart goes out to Macauley’s family. I sincerely hope I can be part of any tribute his friends and family put together.”

Last night Fleur confirmed that Switch nightclub would be the venue with the show set to take place on April 2.

Fleur, 22, from Hedge End, his girlfriend of nearly three years, said: “I’m absolutely speechless. We are so thankful to Craig and the others and we had no idea so many people would support this. He loved festivals and music and we were absolutely buzzing to see Craig at Common People.”

Paying tribute to Mac who she had accompanied to last year’s Bestival with friends, she said: “He was an amazing boy - we absolutely adored him. He took every day like it was his last and never had a bad word to say about anyone. I feel so lucky that he called me his. If he is looking down on us now and is seeing what is happening he will be doing a funny little dance.”

They have also received offers from help from local companies such as Freestyle Web Design from Lyndhurst and JAMStageHire from Southampton.

Mac’s older brother Sam, 23, is also organising it, and said: “We have had so many people offering to help. We never thought it would get this big. I’ve always known Mac was popular but I can’t put it into words the support we’ve had. It puts your faith back in Southampton.”

Brother Luke yesterday hailed Mac as “amazing” and added: “He is one of those guys who is going to be really missed and Mac has left a huge hole in everyone’s lives.”

The couple in the other car, a silver BMW 520 – a male driver and a female passenger – were taken to Southampton General Hospital following the crash and have been discharged from hospital.

Hampshire police said that investigations into what happened are continuing.

Anyone with any information about the crash should contact Hampshire police on 101 quoting Operation Castington or incident number 44160074729.
See https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Mac-Campbell-Fund for the fundraising page or follow @MacFest2016 or use the #MacFest and #MacFest2016 hastags on Twitter.