Father of England fan set for World Cup walk

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) The father of an English soccer fan who died last year of leukaemia will leave London today to walk some 500 miles to Germany as part of a campaign to raise awareness about the disease.

Tim Reeve, 23, died in December last year, missing out on his dream to travel to Germany to support the England team.

Instead, his father John will leave London from the site of the new Wembley stadium today to start the walk. He hopes to be in Frankfurt in time for England's first game in the World Cup on June 10.

''One of the dreams that kept Tim going when he was very ill was the prospect of being able to get better, so he could support England in the World Cup,'' John Reeve told Reuters.

John Reeve has been planning the walk since earlier this year and has already gained sponsorship from the Football Association, the England squad and three London Premier League clubs Arsenal, Fulham and West Ham.

The Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien have donated signed shirts to be auctioned.

The campaign is also being supported by England cricketer Alastair Cook who knew Tim from their time at school together.

John Reeve said his aim was to raise in the region of 50,000 pounds and to use the walk as the start of a longer term campaign to raise awareness about the disease Tim died from -- acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Sponsorship can be donated through the www.walktotheworldcup.com Web site.

REUTERS PG PM0546