Gareth Gates' mum today told how the tragic death of her baby godson inspired the star to support a fundraising campaign for a Bradford hospital.

The chart-topping singer kept a vigil at the bedside of little Bradley Barrett before he died - aged just seven months - in the special care baby unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Now he and his family are backing a drive to raise money for the unit which needs a new oscillating ventilator machine.

Janine Barrett, Bradley's mother, is aiming to raise £15,000 for a new machine, similar to that used by her son during his short life.

Gareth visited Bradley at least three times a week, reading prayers and stories to the baby who was born 16 weeks premature and struggled with breathing difficulties.

He was aged just 16 when Bradley died two years ago, and performed a song and gave a reading at the funeral.

Today Wendy Gates, who was Bradley's Godmother, told how Gareth had been so touched by the tragedy he has thrown his support behind a campaign to raise money for the unit.

He signed dozens of items - from T-shirts to, unusually, pieces of carpet - to be auctioned at an event at the Old Duke William pub in Tong Street, Bradford, which raised £5,000 for the appeal.

"Gareth got so much out of sitting with Bradley and praying with him," said Wendy. "He was absolutely delighted to help and thought it was amazing that we raised so much."

Wendy told how the family spent hours with Bradley at the unit.

"It is such an emotional place, I used to cry before I walked through the door," she said. "Bradley was a little gem and we used to see him very often. It was lovely for both of us to share the little bit of life that he had."

She added: "I came up with Janine for Bradley's last few hours. I told Gareth that Bradley didn't have long left, but he said he didn't feel he could sit and watch him like that, which we understood. Instead, we sat at his bedside and read the prayer that Gareth had written for him."

Miss Barrett, 23, who also has a three-year-old son called Rhys, said Bradley's death had inspired her to organise the fundraising campaign.

"We were here for seven months and Bradley spent all of his life here. Obviously, you get attached to the place and the people," she said.

"It was a very emotional time, and it can be a frightening place. It was hard and frustrating when one minute he was getting better and the next he was really poorly again. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but you always hope that he can pull through."

She said the possibility of Bradley having to be moved to another hospital because there was only one oscillating ventilator machine at the BRI had been hard to take.

"There's not enough machines for all of the babies that are born and often they have to be moved on," she said. "I could not have coped with him being moved to Manchester. It was very hard just coping with the thought I might not be able to see him all the time."

Unit manager Debbie Beaumont said the BRI was in desperate need of a second machine - and thanked Janine, the Gates family and the pub for their support.

"This is a lot of money and we don't usually get so a large amount all at once," she said. "Janine has worked so hard and obviously Gareth being involved has made a big difference."

Janine is hoping to reach the £15,000 total through a series of events planned for the new year, and the Old Duke William has adopted the unit as its official charity.

Anyone who wants to raise money should contact the pub on (01274) 681416 or Janine on 07931 242255.

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