MORE than 100 youngsters have had cardiac screening in memory of a popular teenager who died from an undetected heart condition while playing football.

Aspiring sportsman Ben Daniels, 15, from Bickley, collapsed following a cardiac arrest while training with the Ex Blues football team in March last year, and died in hospital three days later.

His parents Paul and Helena set up the Ben Daniels Memorial Fund to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death in the young and fund screening programmes, the first of which was held on Saturday at the Old Elthamians Sports Club in Chislehurst.

A total of 108 youngsters, aged 14 and 18 from across Ben's sporting community, including the Old Elthamians Sports Club and Ben's school Ravens Wood, took part in the 20-minute sessions.

Mr Daniels said: "This screening event is an important milestone for Ben’s Fund and is a fitting and very special tribute to Ben – who is missed by so many of his school friends and sporting colleagues. He was such a role model and team player – we just knew we had to do something positive in his memory.

"I can’t thank our friends, neighbours and Ben’s friends enough for their efforts and energy in helping us to raise funds for - and continued awareness of the importance of - cardiac screening in young people."

According to charity C-R-Y (Cardiac Risk in the Young), 12 people aged 35 and under die from an undetected heart problem each week.

MP for Bromley and Chislehurst Bob Neill, who is a member of C-R-Y's All Parliamentary Party Group, attended the screening sessions to give his support to the memorial fund, which has so far raised £59,000 towards an initial £100,000 target.

He said: "The sudden and unexpected death of Ben Daniels last year was a desperately sad event and he clearly meant the world to his family, his friends and all those who were lucky enough to compete with him in the sports he loved.

"I have no doubt that our local community will get behind Ben’s Memorial Fund, which has been set up by his parents to help reduce the number of similar tragedies which rob young people of life so prematurely.

"We can all do our bit to honour Ben’s memory by supporting the fund and encouraging our young people to attend screening session like this - regardless of whether they are showing any symptoms or not."