THE DAILY Echo-backed Wayne Howard Appeal has received a £1,500 helping hand from Southampton's Northam Boxing and Fitness Club.

Eighteen youngsters hammered their hearts out in a 12-hour punch bag marathon to raise the cash for brain damaged accident victim Wayne Howard.

Club organiser and 1997s southern counties welterweight boxing champion Wayne Batten was proud of the work put in by the boys.

He said: "It was a superb effort. It was hard work - harder than I thought it would be. I have done a lot of boxing but 12 hours is tough. But it was all for a good cause."

He was spurred into fundraising action after reading about Wayne Howard's plight in the Daily Echo.

He said: "I wanted to do it because of the article I read in the paper. It really moved me. I was choked."

Wayne Howard's mum Isobel went to watch and was impressed with the boys' dedication. She said: "They were so enthusiastic, punching away and they have done amazingly. They worked so hard and all off their own back. I was very impressed.

"Wayne loved anything to do with the gym and he's got a lot of respect for these guys."

Father-of-three Wayne Howard was a keen motorcyclist who raced in the Manx GP before losing his leg in a road accident. The smash also left him with brain damage, which means he sometimes can't recognise his children.

A specialist German clinic can help him regain some quality of life but at a price - £25,000, which is where the appeal comes in.

To donate to the Wayne Howard Appeal, send cheques or postal orders (please do not send cash) to The Wayne Howard Appeal, 16 Railway Cottages, Tate Road, Old Redbridge, Southampton, SO15 0NL. To organise a fundraising event please send your ideas to the same address. Or contact Gareth Lewis at the Daily Echo on 023 8042 4499.