Two parents’ mission to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningitis following the death of their son will bring them to the island next month.

Chantal Kingswood and Adam de Silver have organised a five-day fundraising and awareness trip that will see them travel from their home town of Brighton to the Isle of Man.

Their son Reggie died at the age of 14 months when he developed pneumococcal meningitis and septicaemia after suffering a bout of influenza in March 2018.

Chantal said: ’We loved visiting the Isle of Man as a family and it is somewhere that Reggie held lots of special memories, so we wanted to incorporate that into the tour.’

The Beep Beep Tour is named after Reggie’s favourite toy car and will see an entourage of drivers, six old bangers and a team of charity ambassadors for Meningitis Now travel from Brighton to the Isle of Man, completing challenges as they go.

Along the way, drivers will be put through their paces by completing scavenger hunts and challenges set by pro-racing drivers.

James Bond stunt driver and Manxman Mark Higgins will join the tour in the island to test each team’s pace around Jurby Motordrome and showcase his own skills.

The end of the tour on April 24 coincides with Meningitis Awareness Day.

Chantal said: ’Our whole world has been taken from under our feet, but we have decided to focus our energy on raising money and awareness in Reggie’s memory, in the hope that other parents don’t have to suffer in the way we have.

’We hope lots of people will do a "Beep Beep" in support of our cause, with drivers honking their horns when they pass the tour on the road, or people making videos of themselves honking a horn and posting them online. That may seem like a small thing, but it will really help us to raise awareness during the tour.’

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is supporting the The Beep Beep Tour by providing free of charge travel to the island for the six cars and their passengers.

Chief executive Mark Woodward said: ’Chantal and Adam’s story is heartbreaking and goes to show the devastation meningitis can cause and how quickly it can spread.

’Putting their energy into this tour to help others from going through the same heartbreak is inspiring and we are pleased to get behind it.’

Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, and is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

In the UK, an estimated 22 people a day will contract the disease.

To support The Beep Beep Tour and raise money for Meningitis Now, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/beepbeeptour