A MAN whose grandson died during heart surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital is biking 3,500 miles across Europe to boost funds for the children's hospital again.

It will be the second time Steve Chinnock, of Pritchard Close, Stratton, has organised such a fundraising challenge.

The 42-year-old and about 10 friends will be touring France, Switzerland and Italy on their motorbikes at the end of May in a bid to collect £3,000 towards the £15m appeal.

They are taking up the seven-day challenge in memory of Jaidon Vines, who lost his battle against a congenital heart disease just before his first birthday.

Jaidon, the son of Mr Chinnock's daughter Shara, 22, was born with pulmonary atresia a condition where there is no pulmonary valve in the heart, preventing blood being pumped into the lungs to collect oxygen.

Granddad Mr Chinnock, 42, said: "He had his first operation when he was three days old and that was successful. He went in for his second operation just before his birthday. It was heartbreaking for the whole family.

"The hospital is a specialist cardiac centre which is why Jaidon was treated there.

"We wanted to continue raising money for the children's wards and this year decided to help with the children's hospital campaign."

Together with his friends, and a support van donated by George White Superbikes, Mr Chinnock has already raised £3,000 for the hospital through a similar trip across Europe last year.

He said: "It's a great experience just spending time out on your motorbike, but it's not easy. I wanted to do something to raise money anyway, so we struck up the idea of doing it this way."

The group will leave the UK on Friday, May 26, and arrive back in time for a welcome-home fundraising party a week later.

Mr Chinnock and Jaidon's dad John Morgan, of Inglesham Road, Penhill, returned from a similar £3,500-trip, through France and Spain, last June. When Mr Morgan got home he had a baby daughter waiting for him, who was born the day before he left.