FRIENDS and family of Wotton-under-Edge teenager Chris Pegler will be joining hundreds of walkers for a poignant 13-mile walk.

The popular 18-year-old died suddenly from meningitis in November, prompting a massive fundraising drive in his memory.

Over £18,000 has now been raised for Meningitis UK to help find a vaccine for the devastating disease by his family and friends.

The latest mission is the 13-mile Summer Stroll in Bristol, which looks set to attract 200 walkers and raise £20,000 for the charity.

Chris’ mum Karen said around 20 of Chris’ close friends and family members will be taking part on June 18 but added that everyone is welcome.

"We’re really looking forward to it and hope people from Gloucestershire will make the journey.

"It’s amazing how much we’ve raised in Chris’ memory so far which is a testament to how much he was loved.

"It means so much to us to be making a difference by helping to find a vaccine so people are protected from this dreadful disease in the future," added Karen.

A charity fun day at Synwell playing fields in Wotton attracted 200 people in May and raised a further £800.

Chris’ story is being used in the promotional leaflet for the Summer Stroll to remind people why they’re walking and the importance of their fundraising efforts.

The former Katharine Lady Berkeley's School pupil died within 24 hours of showing any sign of being ill. He thought he was getting a sore throat but his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Doctors initially thought it was a harmless virus but when Chris woke up in the middle of the night to discover a rash on his face, chest and arms, his parents Karen and Steve called an ambulance immediately.

As his body battled the infection, his organs began to fail and his heart stopped in the early hours of November 18.

The sixth Summer Stroll kicks off at the Lock Keeper pub in Keynsham at 9.30am on Saturday, June 18.

To join in the Summer Stroll call Laura Bullock on 0117 373 7373 or visit www.meningitisuk.org/summerstroll