Lewis fund theft prompts student into action

AN ENTREPRENEUR from Derby has organised a comedy night in aid of the Lewis Mighty Fund after hearing how the appeal was fleeced by a conman posing as Peter Kay's brother.

Jacob Street is originally from Duffield but is currently studying at university in Manchester.

For the past few years the 27-year-old has been running comedy nights across the country. He has now decided to hold one to raise cash for five-year-old Lewis who is battling a rare form of cancer.

It comes after he read the story of bogus entertainer Peter Stead who offered to put on stand-up shows in pubs and clubs, posing as Peter Kay's brother, in return for appeal donations.

But he never returned to perform the gigs after being given the cash up-front and has not been seen since his story was featured in the Derby Telegraph in August, last year.

The case was highlighted during BBC's Crimewatch programme last week and after hearing about the crime Jacob has decided to host a fund-raising night in Manchester.

He said: "It is appalling that stand up comedy was the tool to steal from the fund and we now want to use stand-up comedy to give back to Lewis."

The Lewis Mighty Trust was launched in a bid to raise cash to send the youngster to the US for £300,000 immunotherapy treatment.

Jacob is hosting the night at the Rampant Lion Pub, in Manchester on March 7.