A RELATIVE and friends of an Urmston teenager who died days before Christmas three years ago are getting on their bikes to boost a charity they have set up in his memory.

Billy Molden died of bone cancer aged 14 on December 23 2013, with more than 400 people attending the popular Wellacre Academy pupil’s funeral at St Michael’s church in Flixton.

Over the following 12 months, the Urmston community rallied to raise more than £20,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Dreamflight, a charity that enables children with illness and disabilities to go on a holiday of a lifetime.

The fundraising included the ‘Billyfest’ community event at Urmston Social Club.

Now his parents Jane and Gary, his sisters Amy and Katy and the rest of his family have set up the Billy Molden Charitable Trust, to raise money to help children and their families with cancer, serious illness and life threatening illnesses.

And Billy's aunty, Wendy Couser, her partner Richard Birchall, and friend Cath Talmage, will be taking part in the Manchester to Blackpool charity bike ride on Sunday, July 10 to raise funds and awareness of the charity. Wendy and Catherine are both dental nurses at Poppies Dental Care in Stretford.

Wendy told Messenger: "Billy was an inspiration to everyone who knew him and has a special place in everyone's heart and, as his aunty, I loved him very much and miss him tremendously, so to take part in this event in Billy's memory will be wonderful, and I know that Billy will be with me - especially riding up hill."

Wendy said they have been in training for the ride, and completed more than 40 miles on their last training run.

She said: "I feel ready for it now, I can't wait."

She thanked everyone who has backed the trust so far and appealed for others to support them.

"We set it up because we wanted to do something to help the families and other children who have an illness or a disability," she said.

Billy became ill in 201. He noticed a lump on his leg, which was diagnosed as a bone cancer.

He battled through chemotherapy treatment, not letting his illness get on top of him, despite losing 80 per cent of his hearing and having his left leg amputated above the knee.

Anyone who wants to support heir efforts should go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/wendy-couser-2?utm_campaign=20160628_77538&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ExactTarget