One important person will be missing from a Southend bar's charity evening raising money for research into heart disease.

Organisers hope to raise up to £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) at the Victoria Court Bar in Victoria Avenue on March 10.

But it will be tinged with sadness because the founder of the bar, Roy Mills, died from heart disease himself just 12 days before it opened last July.

His partner Danny O'Shea, from Belfairs Drive, Leigh, said he would be in the thoughts of all his close friends and family that night.

He added: "We were all so devastated when it happened. But this charity evening will be held in his memory."

Mr O'Shea was with his friend of 15 years putting the final touches to the bar when Mr Mills, 57, from Silverdale, Thundersley, collapsed and died on June 23 last year.

A plaque dedicated to him stands in the entrance hall to the bar he always dreamed of opening.

He ran a building business for many years and worked on a number of Southend bars and nightclubs.

However it was always his dream to build his own one and he was just days away from reaching it when tragedy struck. Mr O'Shea, who now runs the business with his wife Clare and Mr Mill's widow Mary, said: "We were working in the bar when he collapsed.

"The builders were in. We tried to help him but it was just too late.

"I think Roy knew deep down that there was something wrong but we didn't really know. He had only been to the hospital that morning."

They had been working on the project full-time for 18 months. Mr O'Shea said: "Roy was always working hard on it because for years he had built other people's bars he wanted to finally build his own one."

Ann Boardman, south Essex representative for BHF, said: "Heart disease is still the biggest killer in the UK, even more than cancer.

"An event like this will not only help to raise funds but also awareness of just how important research is."

For more details call 01702 320113 or 0956 131284.

Big night - Susan Wood, Danny O'Shea with Ann Boardman from the British Heart Foundation as they get ready for the big night

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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