A LUMPHINNANS dad has raised £1,626 in memory of his daughter who died unexpectedly from a heart condition.

Sharon Brown was just 37-years-old when she went to bed one night in June 2016 and never woke up again.

Her father Stuart Hughes has been raising money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in the hope that other families won’t have to suffer a similar tragedy.

Stuart, 61, a project material controller, told the Times: “Myself and my wife were on holiday in Turkey at the time – it was just a nightmare.

“She was only 37, just went to bed and never woke up again. The way I would describe it is like there was a short circuit on her heart and she died very suddenly.”

Sharon left behind four children as well as her husband Paul. Her youngest daughter Holly was only two at the time.

Stuart recently took on the challenge of white water rafting six miles down the River Tay from Aberfeldy to raise funds.

He added: “I got the rafting experience for Christmas and a thought came to me that I could raise some money. I wanted to do something and as I’ve got involved with fundraising I’ve got to meet the scientists that the BHF support.

“There are various projects that they are working on and I don’t think people realise how many conditions can be helped through research on the heart. I’m 61 so if I can do it anyone can!

“People were very generous and the amount raised was way above my expectations. However, it could not have been possible without the support of my wife Marjorie, daughter Nicola, Diamonds Bars, Bertie Ross and Andy Johnstone (Fife Bowles).”

Every week 12 people under the age of 40 in the UK die unexpectedly from a heart condition they didn’t know they had. This can be caused by Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) just like the condition Sharon had.

Scientists funded by the BHF have been investigating the electrical problems in the heart that lead to SADS, so that we can get better at identifying people at risk and provide treatments to prevent these tragic deaths.

“As well as Sharon there was a young teenage lad from Lumphinnans who was fit as anything playing sport and his heart just stopped working last year too,” Stuart said.

“When Sharon died we were all obviously worried that it might be hereditary but we’ve all be tested apart for the wee ones and none of us have the condition. I have eight grandchildren all together, so it was such a relief to hear that.

“It’s not easy but we are just trying to get the British Heart Foundation a higher profile because they do a heck of a lot. If it saves some other family from going through what we did then it’s a plus.”

Stuart has also been asked to be a voluntary speaker for the British Heart Foundation.

Lisa Robertson, BHF Scotland fundraising manager, said: “We’d like to thank Stuart for taking on this amazing challenge.

“Everyone seemed really touched by his story.

“The fantastic amount that Stuart raised will go towards funding lifesaving and life-changing research which could help with diagnosis and new treatments to minimise the devastation to future families.”