The family of a man who lost his battle with mental health are staging a fundraising music event in his memory for the third anniversary of his death.

Luke Connolly died on August 3, 2018. The following year the first ever 'LukeFest' event was held in his memory, and after a lower-key family event last year due to the pandemic the event is coming back even bigger than ever.

The festival will run from midday until 11pm on Saturday, July 31 at the Queen's Arms at Breage and will raise money for mental health charities Man Down and Valued Lives.

Live music will run throughout the afternoon and into the evening as well as family fun day, a bouncy castle, a raffle and a barbecue.

Starting the music at 2pm will be Louella Jade Eke, followed at 3pm by Rosie Crow, 4pm Snatch Debris and then Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Josh Curnow at 5.30pm.

Taking the event into the evening will be Flats & Sharps at 7.30pm, with Guilty Pleasures finishing up the evening from 9pm.

The poster for the Lukefest event

The poster for the Lukefest event

Since Luke's passing the family has already raised more than £5,000 and donated to Valued Lives, The Invictus Trust and Man Down, who all work to support men’s mental health.

Luke, who had studied at Helston Community College, wanted to make the world a better place: he fed the homeless, promoted gambling restrictions and was a huge advocate for people to speak up about their mental health. Luke also ran as a local election candidate in his area.

In a heartfelt tribute to him his sister Amy said: "Luke brightened not just our lives, but of all the people he knew. He was someone with genuine empathy, an infectious spirit, always had the ability to make others happy and had time for anyone.

"There are no words that I could ever put together that will do him justice, and no words to ever describe just how much of an incredible young man he was. He was the curator of my childhood, my best friend and without him. Life is so much darker.

"To see him suffering and become a shell, completely unrecognisable to the man I've described was heartbreaking. We tried as a family, everything we could.

"After Luke's death, it became apparent just how bad the lack of funding for mental health is and how overstretched the few nhs resources available are. This is the same across the country, and doesn't just affect Cornwall.

"All proceeds from our event go to different mental health charities across Cornwall in the hope that we can help those individuals who are suffering and also to prevent another family going through the unbearable pain that we face."