THE inspirational parents of a brave baby boy who died after he was born with half a heart are holding a charity ball in his memory.

Dave and Beverley Rachel of Warndon Villages, Worcester, will host the event at Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium on Saturday, Oct-ober 26, in honour of Theo, who was born with a congenital heart defect.

The tireless fund-raisers have teamed up with close friend Lyn Gummer to organise the night and all proceeds will go to Little Hearts Matter, Birmingham Children’s hospital and Ronald McDonald House, Birmingham.

Dave Rachel, aged 48, said: “We hope the ball will raise plenty of money so that Ronald McDonald House charities can keep up their superb work and other families like ours can benefit in their time of need.

“We wouldn’t have been able to get through those 10 weeks without the support from the charity.”

The ball is just one of many fund-raising events Mr and Mrs Beverley are organising in memory of Theo, including the Birmingham Half-Mar-athon on Sunday, October 20, and a Sahara Desert trek taking place in November.

It starts at 7pm and tickets cost £25, which includes a sit-down buffet meal and entertainment from Worcester covers band, the Magoos.

There will also be a charity auction and raffle, with prizes including a photography day, a case of wine, a bottle of champagne and a cup cake tower as well as auction prizes including a signed West Bromwich Albion football shirt, a signed Worcester Warriors shirt and a cricket bat signed by an England XI in 2009.

The Rachels’ chosen causes provide free, home-away from-home accommodation to families with sick children being treated at the hospital.

Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham, one of 14 houses run by Ronald McDonald House Charities across the UK, provided the couple with a place to stay for 10 weeks after their son was born on November 2, 2012 with hypo-plastic left heart syndrome.

It allowed them to be near Theo throughout his treatment.

For more information and to buy a ticket, call 07860 630957 or e-mail dave-rachel@hot-mail.co.uk.

To make a donation, go to mydonate.bt.com/fund raisers/daverachel.