A MUSIC festival inspired by the life-saving work of Southampton’s children’s heart unit is preparing to get pulses racing.

The Pulse Festival is back bigger and better after its debut success last year and has thrown its backing behind the Daily Echo’s Have a Heart Campaign to save the threatened unit.

Having watched as their youngsters fight for their lives at Southampton General Hospital, organisers Mark Ward and Olly Maw joined forces to pay tribute to the team ranked second best in the country.

They hope that when the bands hit the main stage, in front of thousands at Sunnyfields Farm in Totton, on September 3, everyone will have done their bit to ensure the future of the vital unit.

The web designers from Romsey were introduced at the hospital when Mark’s son Stanley was rushed in for emergency surgery on his heart, aged three months old.

While Stanley was in recovery, Mark met Olly, whose daughter Thea, four, had already gone through the trauma Stanley had and come out fighting.

Inspired to give something back, they decided to host a festival to raise awareness and money for Ocean Ward.

Within just four months and with the help of the owner of Sunnyfields Farm, Ian Nelson, the pair successfully hosted the first Pulse Festival last September, raising £8,000 for three charities, including Ocean Ward.

The money made it possible for the Families of Ocean Ward to become a registered cha r i t y and now this year, as t h e unit fights for its future, all profits will be donated to them.

Mark, 39, from the band H e a t h w a r d , said: “Stanley was undiagnosed for three months and during that time he was damaging his heart, so when we did get him to the cardiac ward he was virtually near death and their quick actions saved him.

“We both wanted to give something back and inspired by the team who had saved the lives our children, we put our heads together and came up with the idea of hosting a festival.

“We want to celebrate the city’s unique unit and show people it is worth fighting for.”

The paediatric heart unit is under threat as health chiefs look to cut the UK’s 11 centres down to six or seven.

Southampton was featured in just one of four options put out for public consultation, before the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) makes its decision.

If Southampton closed, families would be forced to get life-saving treatment at units which experts say fell below the “exemplary” standards that the city boasts.

Olly, 37, from the band Subgiant, added: “Without that unit our children would not be alive today. The festival is about everybody coming together, having a great day and raising money.

“There is a warmth about the event, with whole families coming along to enjoy the bands, quality food and children’s entertainment.

“We were very lucky that Ian from Sunnyfields was completely onboard from the start and helped a huge amount with the practical side of things.”