FAMILY members and friends of a “fine young man” from Flintshire are to take on a sponsored walk in his memory.

Peter McFerran was born in November, 1982.

He was eight weeks premature and was given just a few days to live.

But following treatment from the expert staff in the Special Care Baby Unit at The Countess of Chester Hospital, he survived and in 2004 joined 1 Squadron of the RAF Regiment.

Peter enjoyed three years with the RAF, completing one full tour of Iraq in 2005/2006 and half a tour in 2007.

His mother Ann McFerran, from Connah’s Quay, said that on July 19, 2007, her 24-year-old son’s accommodation block was hit my an insurgent rocket and he and two friends paid the ultimate price, with many others injured.

Since 2008 she, alongside family members and Peter’s friends, has walked from Connah’s Quay to The Countess of Chester Hospital every year on the Saturday closest to his birthday.

This year the walk is on Saturday, November 23 and the group starts at 12 noon from Connah’s Quay Ski Boat Club in Dock Road and will follow the cycle route to the hospital in Liverpool Road, Chester.

It is a sponsored walk an all money raised will go to The Peter McFerran Fund at The Countess of Chester Hospital to help fund the neonatal unit.

Mrs McFerran, 67, told the Leader: “Being forgotten was Peter’s biggest fear. He gave us more photos before he went away the last time.

“I think he felt like he wasn’t going to be coming back.

“We promised we never would forget him and this is our way of telling people that he is still with us.”

She described her family’s motivation to support the hospital, explaining: “Peter was born eight weeks early and it was because of the unit that we had him for 24 years.

“It is an important unit for a lot of other families and we want to give them the same chance we had by raising money for things the hospital can’t afford to buy themselves.

“We funded an incubator in 2009 and there has been a lot of other equipment since then.”

Mrs McFerran, who also has a daughter named Elaine, described her son as “a fine young man,” adding: “He was a practical joker, full of fun and a fitness fanatic.

“Peter was very much a team player.”

Anyone is welcome to join the walk on the day and Mrs McFerran said that in addition to donations for the hospital, she is also looking for sponsors for the event.

To find out more, email annmcferran52@gmail.com or visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ann-McFerran6