A FOUNDATION set up in memory of a young Bournemouth sportsman has helped four athletes win gold medals in major international competitions.

The Steve Bernard Foundation made donations to four athletes earlier this year and all have gone on to become world, British and Invictus Games gold medallists.

Captain Luke Sinnott won gold in the 200m and 400m, and silver in the 100m at the Invictus Games in Toronto.

Luke was the main speaker at the foundation's sporting dinner at Bournemouth's Hilton Hotel earlier this year where he told how his life changed forever when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device while serving in Afghanistan.

Lewis Brimble from Bournemouth, who had a kidney transplant in 2011, represented Great Britain at the World Transplant Games in Spain where he won gold and silver medals in badminton.

Hannah Moore became the British Paratriathlon champion at Mallory Park in Leicestershire and Lindsay Chapman won gold in the Invictus Games IT5 100m final.

The foundation was set up following the death of former Bournemouth School pupil Steve Bernard, a promising young sportsman who was just 18-years-old when he died in a car crash shortly after starting university in Chichester in 2005.

His dad, Tony said: "It is fantastic to see people we have supported go on to achieve such huge success. We do a lot of grass roots stuff at the foundation but to support people who have reached the pinnacle of their careers is truly humbling.

"All of them have gone through a lot in their lives and it makes you realise how lucky you are. They've done all the hard work - we just did the easy bit."

The foundation has raised £340,000 since it was established and has supported 15 groups and individuals this year.

Its next fund raising events will be the annual Fancy Dress Run from Bournemouth pier on Sunday February 18 and the Back to Bayeux Bike Rid in June.