A FAMILY hope public generosity will help them win justice for their dead son.

The parents of North-East holidaymaker Christopher Rochester will fly out to the Greek island of Rhodes next month for an appeal by three doctors convicted of his manslaughter by negligence.

Mr Rochester, 24, of Chester-le-Street, died in hospital after a balcony fall in June 2000 because, his family say, of a lack of treatment.

In September 2003, the family saw the hospital medics, who denied the charges, sentenced to three years in jail, but under Greek law they have an automatic right to an appeal hearing.

That is due to start on February 8 - seven months earlier than expected - leaving the family with the task of quickly raising money for their legal costs.

Mr Rochester's mother and stepfather, Pam and George Cummings, need to find about £2,000 in the next fortnight to hire two lawyers for the three-day hearing.

Mr Cummings said: "We have one solicitor from Athens who will cost us £1,000 a day, but we also have to have one who qualified on Rhodes and that will be £500 a day.

"It will cost £4,500 - we have about £2,500 already, but we have to raise £2,000 by February 5, when we fly out.

"A Greek appeal is a full hearing of the evidence and we also have new evidence to put to the court concerning the doctors, one of them in particular.

"If we failed to turn up without legal representation they would go ahead anyway and the doctors could be acquitted automatically. It is imperative we have the strongest legal team possible.

"People in Chester-le-Street and the surrounding area have been really generous to us in the past and we wouldn't be where we are today without them, but it is getting hard to raise money.

"All that we have achieved could go down the plughole if we cannot get the convictions upheld."

Mr Cummings said the sentences had not been activated pending the appeal and the doctors were still working.

"We don't want another holidaymaker in that hospital to be in the same position as Christopher was in."

Today, a friend of Mr Rochester will hold a five-hour sponsored silence outside the Lambton Arms pub, in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, where he used to work.

The family will do a street collection in the town tomorrow and, on Wednesday, will stage a music night at The Osborne Workingmen's Club, in Osborne Road, Chester-le-Street.

It starts at 7pm, and features a band and a vocalist. Tickets cost £3 and are available from the bar, at the door, or by calling 0191-388 3769.

People can also donate to the Christopher Rochester Trust Fund at any Lloyds TSB branch.