Jeremy (left) and Rory Burton, after their sponsored swim. 28/10/04TWO young Salisbury brothers are on target to raise more than £500 for a hospital ward in which their mother died nearly two years ago.

Jeremy Burton (11) and his brother Rory (eight) decided they wanted to do something in memory of their mother, Lorna Jayne Burton, who died suddenly and tragically at the age of 34 from deep vein thrombosis in the Radnor intensive care ward at Salisbury District Hospital, in November 2002.

Both boys are members of the Salisbury Stingrays swimming club and it was Jeremy who came up with the idea of a sponsored swim.

The brothers got permission to use the swimming pool at the district hospital and on Saturday they took the plunge to swim as many lengths as possible in 90 minutes.

The boys are being cared for by their grandparents, Penny and Graham Mitchell, who live in Castle Road.

It was their daughter's wish that they bring up the brothers, with help from the boys' father, Richard Burton, who lives on Bemerton Heath.

Both grandparents and Mr Burton were poolside on Saturday to cheer the boys on.

Mrs Mitchell said: "They both wanted to remember their mum and Jeremy came up with the idea of raising money for the ward where she was being treated until her death.

"They both love swimming and Jeremy thought a sponsored swim would be a good idea. Their mum used to work for Friends From page 1

Provident and the boys don't realise that we already have about £500 pledged - and this does not include sponsorship promised by Friends Provident."

Jeremy set his sights on swimming up to 200 lengths of the pool after achieving 118 lengths in one hour earlier this year.

Rory has only been swimming for eight months but has already achieved 50 lengths in an hour. Jeremy is a pupil at Wyvern College and Rory goes to St Paul's School.

Both are members of the 6th Salisbury Scout Group. Earlier this year, the group's headquarters were given a facelift with money from Friends Provident and the redecorated hall was named after the boys' mother, who regularly helped run the group.

As the two boys swam up and down the pool, Mrs Mitchell said: "We are all very proud of them."