A SPORTSMAN’S dinner – which is expected to feature a star guest speaker from the football world – has been organised to raise money for a memorial fund.

The event at Stanton Village Hall, on Saturday, May 7, will help raise cash for the Four Friends Memorial Fund, which aims to achieve a permanent memorial in honour of brothers Thomas and Daniel Hazelton, and their workmates Peter Johnson and Adam Taylor.

The four men all lost their lives while working at Claxton Engineering Services Limited, in Great Yarmouth, on January 21.

Tom, 26, Daniel, 30, and Peter, 42, (known as PJ), were all from the village of Stanton. Adam, 28, was from nearby Rickinghall.

Daniel had also been living in Rickinghall for the past few years.

The Stanton Football Club Memorial Sportsman’s Dinner is being hosted by Stanton FC and has been organised with the help of former Ipswich Town footballer James Scowcroft and his brother Martin. Both James and Martin, from Stanton, knew the four men and have links with Stanton FC, which is one of the teams Adam and Daniel had played for.

Martin, 42, said: “We just talked about it and thought, ‘How can we help and what would be a good way to raise some money?’ It just sort of happened.”

He explained how the format for the night would be that of a traditional sportsman’s dinner, with food, a comedian, compere, raffle and an auction.Auction prizes include the use of an executive box at Ipswich Town FC.

Martin added he hoped to get a former Premier League footballer who is a high-profile media figure as a speaker for the event.

He said the dinner was about raising money, but also putting on a really good night.

Father-of-four Martin said: “If someone was doing something in my memory, I would want people to have a really good night at the same time.” Martin, a financial adviser, said a proportion of the money would go directly to the Four Friends Memorial Fund, launched by the East Anglian Daily Times. Yesterday, the fund total stood at �2,823.66.

For further information about buying tickets for the evening, email Martin on ms.stanton@btinternet.com

Businesses interested in getting involved with supporting the event should do the same.

The funerals for Tom and Daniel Hazelton are taking place at All Saints’ Church, in Stanton, tomorrow.

Peter’s funeral is taking place at All Saints’ Church, in Stanton, on Wednesday. Adam’s funeral is taking place at the church, in Redgrave, on February 25.

The investigation continues into the accident at Claxton Engineering Services Limited.

l If you would like to support the fund, please send cheques payable to Archant Regional Ltd (write Four Friends Memorial Fund on reverse of cheque), to Four Friends Memorial Fund, c/o the editor, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN.