THE BEREAVED family of a Southampton docks worker who lost his battle with gallstone pancreatitis are raising money to help by ventilators for hospitals in Dorset and Hampshire.

Andrew Lockyer, who worked as a terminal operator at Southampton Docks, passed away on Saturday March 7 aged 48.

Having been put into an induced coma in the hope it would help him at Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital’s ICU unit, Andrew was later moved to Southampton General Hospital for a crucial operation, which he did not survive.

Andrew’s daughter Sophie, 27, said: “He really did have a heart of gold; he would do anything for anyone.

“What was so peculiar was that no one expected it. It’s a hard one to take because it came out of nowhere

“I saw him the day he went into hospital and he seemed fine. In the hours after I saw him, he deteriorated rapidly and that was it.”

A loving father, husband, brother, uncle, son and grandad, Andrew, from Ringwood, leaves wife Julia, son Stephen and daughter Sophie.

Andrew was put on ventilators and kidney dialysis during his time in hospital, which have since become more in need due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.

“When my dad was in hospital, a few cases were already in the hospital at the time,” added Sophie.

“One of the nurses mentioned to us that we have eight ventilators and already had 10 patients needing them.

“No hospital should be that stretched for resources so that is why we want to help them get as many as we can.”

The family has set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for ventilators to be purchased by Bournemouth and Southampton hospitals to be used on coronavirus patients.

So far they have raised nearly £2,500, half the money need to purchase one machine.

Sophie, who set up the GoFundme page, said: “It is doing quite well as the moment and that is before my dad’s workmates have done a whip round which they promised, so hopefully we can get another £1,000 or £2,000 from that.

“At least the hospital will have more equipment and more options to try and save as many lives as they can.

“The teams where fantastic to my dad and treated him with the upmost respect and I can’t thank them enough for what they have all done for us.

“Our hearts are absolutely shattered but I hope we can make a difference through doing this.”

To donate to the GoFundMe page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/1xfoj1cr80.