A FUNDRAISING campaign set up to pay for the repatriation and funeral of a teenager who died in Thailand has reached £12,600 in a matter of days.

Family and friends of Anthony Ryan, from Holme Wood, rallied round to raise the money when the 17-year-old died in a motorbike crash last Thursday during his first holiday abroad.

Business came forward to offer donations, hundreds of people turned up to a balloon release in the estate on Monday and X Factor star Danny Tetley performed at the Low Moor Club on Thursday night.

READ MORE: Holme Wood teenager Anthony Ryan dies in Thailand

The Holme Wood singer, who is now based in Benidorm, helped raise just over £1,000 for the fund, which totalled £12,625 after eight days of fundraising.

The campaign to raise an initial £8,000 to fly Anthony's body back to Manchester Airport was spearheaded by Kelly Calvert, a mum from Holme Wood who knew the 17-year-old and his younger brother.

She said: "The night went really well and there was about 150 people there.

"This has all been an emotional rollercoaster, but it has been amazing how everyone has come together.

"Absolutely everyone has been amazing.

"There are still fundraisers going on at Tong High School and Oastlers School for plaques because they want to keep his memory alive."

Danny Tetley was joined at the Low Moor Club by Burrows School of Dance, who performed in t-shirts adorned with Anthony's photograph.

"It was a really emotional performance and everyone was in tears," added Miss Calvert.

"The work people have done has been amazing and his mum can't get over how much support she has had since Anthony died.

"That's the end of the fundraising for me.

"A few people are going to keep trying but the money we have raised is brilliant."

The former pupil of Tong High School and Oastlers School had recently moved to Cornwall to start work as a labourer and was planning to start a college course.

A Go Fund Me page was set up in a bid to raise enough money to repatriate the 17-year-old's body after he travelled to Thailand without travel insurance.

The page had received almost £4,000 in donations early last week when Tariq Khan, of the Bradford-based Harris Solicitors, handed over another £4,000 to help fundraisers reach their total.

Mr Khan said he was moved by the story and was eager to help out after reading about the family's plight in the Telegraph & Argus.

The process of getting Anthony's body back to the UK is now underway and his family expect it to be flown from Bangkok to Manchester Airport next week.

The Go Fund Me page is still open for people to make a donation here