THE family of a lawyer who was killed in a fall will pay tribute to him by supporting a charity close to his heart.

World Cup referee George Courtney and his wife, Margaret, are raising money in memory of their only son, Matthew, 27, who died on February 9 after falling down the stairwell at the Tate Modern gallery, in London.

Mr and Mrs Courtney, from Middlestone Moor, County Durham, are encouraging people who knew Matthew to support Sophie's Silver Lining Fund, a charity set up by the family of Sophie Large who was killed in a car accident near Banbury, in Oxfordshire, in February 1998, aged 19.

Friends and relatives who are celebrating Matthew's life at a service at his old school, Durham School, tomorrow, will be invited to contribute to the fund, whose patron is Dame Judi Dench and which gives training scholarships to young singers and actors.

Sophie and Matthew were close friends who shared a love of the arts and sang together in the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

After Matthew's death, Mr Courtney discovered his son had kept examples of work that Sophie had sent him and treasured a copy of Sophie's Log, a journal of her poems and writings published by the charity.

Mr Courtney said: "Matthew was devastated by Sophie's death. She was a bright, clever young lady with a bright future ahead of her.

"Her memorial fund was the first thing we thought of to raise money towards. We hope to support the great work being done by the charity.

"Discovering that Matthew kept pieces from Sophie makes this very poignant.

"We know it would have been his first choice charity, so we are representing his wishes. He was into acting and singing himself, so would support this fund entirely."

Sophie's mother Cherry Large said yesterday: "This is a wonderful gesture which will give the fund a tremendous boost. We are so touched that they thought of us."

Tomorrow's service starts in the school chapel at noon.

A tribute on the school's website describes Matthew, who had been head boy at Durham's Chorister School before he moved up in 1993, as an exceptional young man and a model pupil who excelled at everything he did.

* To make a donation send cheques or bank orders, made payable to Sophie's Silver Lining Fund, to 17 Silver Street, Chalcombe, Oxon, OX17 2JR.