A GROUP of Bradford City fans are teaming up to honour the 20th anniversary of a toddler's tragic death from meningitis.

Sam Dodd was just three years old when he succumbed to the disease in November 1998, and his older brother Jamie has organised an almighty trek to Valley Parade in his memory.

The intrepid supporters are walking 70 miles from Fleetwood Town to attend City's home clash with the Lancashire club on February 9 in order to raise money for Meningitis Now.

Speaking to the Telegraph and Argus, 27-year-old Mr Dodd said: "I've not done this kind of thing before.

"But it's been about 20 years since we lost Sam and we wanted to mark the occasion.

"My cousin Paul (Dignam) has really helped out because he did a similar walk to the club for a different cause two years ago with about four or five others on his side of the family.

"This time there's 10 of us. We're all City fans and season ticket holders so we wanted to involve the club.

"I managed to get in touch with James Mason (Bradford City's former chief operating officer).

"Even though he's not at the club any more, he's helped out by putting us in contact with the right people.

"I spoke to Isabel Pitts (Bradford City's Content and Engagement Manager) and she's arranging for us to walk round the pitch, maybe with collection buckets, before kick off or at half-time."

There is a real family feel to the walk, with everyone chipping in to honour Sam's memory.

Mr Dodd, whose 15-month old daughter Olivia is already a diehard City fan, said: "My stepbrother Karl Emmett is doing the walk with me and my stepdad Jason Emmett is driving round all our gear, as he has a bad leg.

"My cousin also worked at Premier Inn when we were organising the walk so he's managed to get us a discount to spend three nights there at different locations."

The trekking ten will be grateful for those hotel comforts, with a tricky route ahead.

They begin their walk on Thursday, February 7 in Fleetwood and will not complete their mission until they reach Valley Parade two days later.

Explaining how they've been preparing for the big weekend, Mr Dodd said: "We've been meeting up on Wednesdays to do five mile walks.

"We have done a couple of 15 mile ones on Sundays to prepare too because the walk requires two days where we have to do 30 miles.

"On day one (Thursday) we go from Fleetwood to Blackburn and day two (Friday) we have to get from Blackburn to Halifax.

"Thankfully it's more gentle on the Saturday, as we're just going nine miles from Halifax to Bradford."

The full list of walkers is: Jamie Dodd, Luke Holden, Karl Emmett, James Metcalfe, Aaron Peel, Liam Stewart, Paul Dignam, Max Pemberton, Phil Marson and Paul Crowther.

To sponsor Mr Dodd, visit his Just Giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jamie-dodd7