THE step-dad of knife crime victim Daniel Fox took on an 85-mile trek raising enough funds to install five trauma packs across the town centre in a bid to save lives.

Daniel, from Thatto Heath, died on September 2, 2016, after he was fatally stabbed while out in the town centre.

He was aged just 29.

Turning their grief into something preventative and proactive, his family set up an anti-knife crime charity in his name – The Daniel Fox Foundation, which raises awareness among youth by doing education workshops in schools and with groups.

Karl Ashton, Daniel’s step-dad is one of the leading members of the charity, and the former policeman and veteran took on an 85-mile route along the Cumbrian Way with some of his former army colleagues to help potentially save lives in St Helens town centre.

He said: “It was great to be honest; I really enjoyed having my mates with me and it was a long slog, but it’s been worth it and we raised £4,500 which will pay for five trauma packs in St Helens Town Centre.

“These aren’t just for knife crime victims but for major incidents such as someone with a large injury or in a car accident who needs a more in-depth aid before ambulance attends it will help them.

“Each of the trauma packs cost £500 and they look similar to a defib machine and work similar in that you call 999 and get the code, but we’ve been told that if one of these had been available the night Daniel was killed it may have saved his life.

“The Daniel Fox Foundation is about knife crime prevention, but we are a St Helens charity, and want St Helens safer for everyone, so whether or not it’s a crime or not anyone injured can benefit from these trauma packs and that makes us really proud.”

Two trauma packs will be unveiled on Westfield Street, one outside the Imperial and one on Bridge Street near The Nelson. Another is set to be installed around the bottom of Duke Street close to the entrance of North Road.

Locations were determined after The Daniel Fox Foundation and emergency services assessed the areas where most emergency call outs were made in recent months and years.

To help donate towards the trauma packs, go to justgiving.com/campaign/danielfoxfoundationcumbriaway