ONE of Britain's best known musicians has organised a charity gala concert in Exeter for Nicole Hartup, the 12-year-old city schoolgirl who died in a tragic fall.
Raphael Ravenscroft, the man who played the legendary saxophone solo in the 1978 hit Baker Street, and who worked with Pink Floyd, Abba and Marvin Gaye, is a friend of the Hartup family and was with them on the day in May that Nicole died.
Now living in St Thomas, Mr Ravenscroft, has teamed with Exeter's homegrown star, Adam Issac, for a concert at St Thomas Social Club on Saturday August 9.
The hope is to raise at least £3,400, the amount needed to give Nicole the funeral her mother Wendy wants to hold.
The family have given their complete backing for the concert and Wendy will be the front row guest of honour of the night.
Mr Ravenscroft said "I want to stress that this will be a celebration of Nicole's life, and wishing her all our love and support in her new life.
"It will be a positive and happy event.
"The idea will be to collect the money and hand it over there and then to Wendy.
"The difficulties over other events were an extra twist of the knife for the family but this is going to be a celebration of lovely little girl and a way of bringing the community together, just as it came together for the memorial after her death in Wonford Playing Fields."
Mr Ravenscroft came to know the family though Nicole's aunt, Julie Bookham and grandmother, Valerie Skeet, who were cleaners at his house when he was recovering from illness.
"We became friends and in fact I was with members of the family at St Thomas Social Club when the call came through about Nicole's accident.
"I had booked the club for my 60th birthday but after the terrible accident we took it on for this fund raising concert.
"I have invited some musician friends down from London and about four or five are coming and they will be playing too."
The Baker Street hit single of 1978 by Gerry Rafferty is best remembered for the eight bar saxophone riff played by Mr Ravenscroft.
And Saturday's concert may be the last time he plays it.
He said: "It is not something I do play. It would be rather sad if that's all I ever did and I have a lot of interesting projects under way - but I will play it on the night, and that will probably be the last time."
Nicole's uncle, Clive Bookham, who helps run the St Thomas club, said: "We are really delighted that Raphael is doing this and I want to say that Wendy and the kids are right behind it , it's going to be Nicole's Night.
"We have not been able to arrange a funeral date yet but I know Wendy wants to spread Nicole's ashes at a special place."
Nicole, a College of Media Arts Year 7 pupil, who was a former member of Walter Daw Primary School in Wonford, died following an incident at the Phoenix Youth Club in Burnthouse Lane, Wonford on Friday, May 23.
Shortly after her death, a page was set up on the site claiming to be raising money for a plaque or bench for Nicole.
The page stated that a total of £820 had been raised through 42 donations, and added that all money raised would be passed straight to parents.
But the family later said it has been advised to freeze the account on the advice of police.
Several reports of fraud in relation to the fund were received by police.
Devon and Cornwall Police have made arrangements to interview a suspect at Heavitree Road Police Station."
Tickets for Nicole's Night are available by calling 01392 274197. School friends, accompanied by their parents, will have free entry.
A session musician, Mr Ravenscroft was in the studio to record a brief soprano saxophone part and suggested that he record the -famous break using the alto saxophone he had in his car.
The part led to what became known as "the Baker Street" phenomenon", a resurgence in the sales of saxophones and their use in mainstream pop music and television advertising.
