Manx riders have helped two parents from Brighton raise awareness of an infection that took their son’s life.

Chantal Kingswood and Adam de Silver lost their one-year-old son, Reggie de Silver, to meningitis last year and have spent four days travelling from their hometown to the island as part of The Beep Beep Tour.

The campaign, which is a collaboration with UK charity Meningitis Now, was inspired and named after Reggie’s favourite toy car.

It saw a team of people drive six old bangers to various locations where they completed challenges as a tribute to Reggie, but also to bring attention to the signs and symptoms of the disease while raising funds towards the charity.

In the island, the team were joined by four-time Manx world enduro racing champion David Knight MBE, junior Manx rally champion Rory McCann, three-time island-based world champion (TDN) Steve Colley, plus ex British rally drivers Scotty Bradshaw and Andy Leece.

At the Jurby Motordrome they took on a blindfold race, the fastest ¼ mile, the fastest car, a wheel change challenge and other challenges.

’We had a whale of time,’ Chantal said. ’The guys are absolutely nuts. My team, the Polo Belles, had Rory as our professional driver and he was great.

’He took the car from us for the fastest lap and got two wheels off the ground at one point. ’I thought he was going to flip it over.’

She said the generosity from island residents surpassed ed that of the UK.

’When we counted the money in our buckets most of the notes were Isle of Man notes. It was quite amazing how much money we raised in the Isle of Man compared with the UK.

’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.’

In the UK, it’s estimated that 22 people a day will contract meningitis.

The disease is an inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.

It’s usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

Of those who contract the bacterial type, one in 10 will die.

Reggie died in a matter of hours when he developed pneumococcal meningitis and septicaemia after suffering a bout of influenza in March 2018.

’You just cannot believe it’s happened to you,’ Chantal said. ’Even when we were at the hospital you don’t think it’s going to happen.

’You think worst case scenario, but you don’t believe it.

’For some parents it’s borderline PTSD.

’You drive to the hospital as a threesome and then come back as a twosome.

’I just don’t know how we got through those first couple of months. I don’t remember eating or cooking. It was a real constant shock and trauma. We’ve not dealt with losing him and I don’t think we ever will.’

She described her son as a ’joyous’ boy who was very quiet and content with anyone.

’He was going to be a car fanatic.

’He loved sitting at the front of a car,’ she said.

’Reggie’s toy car was his favourite - his eyes lit up whenever he saw it.’

Meningitis Now lists the early signs and symptoms of the deadly illness in babies and toddlers as having a: fever; headache; vomiting; diarrhoea; muscle pain; stomach cramps and fever with cold hands and feet.

Refusing to eat food, having an unusual cry, disliking being handled or bright lights and having a rash are some of the other characteristics of meningitis.

The Steam Packet company supported 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.’

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