Family of dad who died in tragic canoe accident say 'our hearts will never be healed'

The family of a dad who died in a tragic canoe accident just weeks after the birth of his 'miracle baby' have started a memorial fund.

New dad Mark Hill, 40, died on July 18 after getting into difficulties at Amberswood Lake in Hindley, Wigan.

He leaves behind fiancé Lisa Veasey - the mother of his 14-week-old son Corey.

Mark had "wanted a child for 20 years" but the couple had struggled to conceive and underwent IVF treatment.

Finally, after two failed rounds, Mark and Lisa welcomed little Corey, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Then unthinkable tragedy struck after Mark's canoe overturned on the lake.

Four months on from Mark's tragic death, Lisa has set up a GoFundMe page for a memorial bench and plaque to be installed at the lake, where his family can go and sit to remember him.

Mark Hill with his sister Hannah (Family handout)

Lisa said: "At the minute, we obviously have nowhere to go to tell stories about him or remember him.

"It was his mum's idea as well, just so there's somewhere we can all get together.

"It costs around £1,635 so we decided to do £2,000 for the target and then anything we have left over will go to a drowning prevention charity."

The GoFundMe page is written from Corey's perspective.

Mark Hill with his fiancé Lisa Veasey (Family handout)

The fundraising page reads: "I was three months old, just a tiny baby. All I wanted was one last cuddle from him. I didn't get it.

"We are trying to raise funds to buy land and place a memorial bench and plaque at the lake, where we can all go and sit to remember him by, me, mummy, grandma, granddad, his brothers and sisters and all of his nieces and nephews.

"We all have a piece of our hearts that has been ripped away, never to be healed again. We miss him so much, he was so loved."

Enter your postcode for the latest news where you live

Lisa said Corey has kept her going in the past four months.

"There's good and bad days," she added.

"Corey gets me through it every single morning. If I didn't have him it would probably be a different story.

"He's a right little character now, he's keeping me strong."

To donate to Mark's Memorial Fund, visit the GoFundMe page.