A father unable to face Christmas Day at home following the death of his daughter from sepsis two months ago said it was "very touching" to see the support he received on a 30-mile walk in her memory.

Dave Rideout walked from the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro to his home in Coverack to raise awareness and money for the UK Sepsis Trust, after his 20-year-old daughter Chloe died from the condition following a routine appendix operation.

Supporters gave up time out of their Christmas Day to join him for various sections of the route, including two people who walked 20 miles with him.

 

Chloe Rideout died in October from sepsis

When he reached St Keverne Square at 7.15pm around 30 people were waiting for him to walk the rest of the way back to Coverack, where even more people joined the final leg.

"It was very touching. It's not the sort of thing you expect - coming from upcountry like we did, you don't even know your neighbours. It's quite amazing the difference. They are all looking after us," Dave said.

People joined him on different sections from the very start, with staff from the hospital's intensive care unit waving them off.

In Penryn sepsis campaigner Melissa Mead and her husband Paul joined the walk for part of the way, while in Falmouth almost all Dave's colleagues at Heather and Lay estate agency took part - as did Steve Kimberley and his family, from rival firm Kimberley's.

 

Steve Kimberley and others supporting Dave at Rame

Dave said: "Steve is a major competitor of ours and here he is, walking, supporting me. It's lovely.

"When something like this happens you see who the real people are."

Richard Marsh from Mylor and Ben Combe, who grew up in Coverack, both walked 20 miles with him, with the Cross family among others taking part.

 

Richard Marsh and Ben Combe were among those supporting Dave (left) on the walk

"It's amazing the amount of people that came along to lend their support and put an arm round your shoulder. It wasn't easy and certainly walking into Coverack wasn't easy - I got quite emotional then.

"I want to make sure nobody is put through the pain and hurt we went through and what Chloe went through," added Dave, who is planning more fundraising and awareness events over the course of this year.

"It's great raising the money, but nothing is going to bring our Chloe back. We're heartbroken. I don't want it to happen to anyone else; when you hear it's still happening it's heartbreaking.

"I close my eyes and five minutes ago she was ten; ten minutes ago she was sitting on my knee as a baby. She might have been 20, but she was still my little girl."

 

Chloe with her brother Charlie at a past Christmas

Dave said he wanted to thank everyone who had given money via the online fundraising page justgiving.com/fundraising/Dave-Rideout2, which is expected to reach £20,000 by the end of this week.

It reached £1,000 within the first ten minutes of going live, thanks to donations from Dave's bosses Tim Heather and John Lay, who he said "couldn't be any more supportive." The Mather Partnership in Helston had also given £500.

"Whether people are rich or poor, young or old, they have all got behind us, which is very humbling and very appreciated," he said.

 

Chloe at home in Coverack

However, Dave's main aim is to raise awareness of symptoms of sepsis, which can initially look like flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection. Warning signs to look out for in adults spell out SEPSIS: Slurred speech or confusion, Extreme shivering or muscle pain, Passing no urine in a day, Severe breathlessness, It feels like you're going to die or Skin that is mottled or discoloured.