A teenager who tragically died after a night out will be remembered at a fundraising event for what would have been his 21st birthday.

Louis Harris, from Dorchester, sadly drowned after disappearing on a night out to celebrate his friend’s birthday in Weymouth in 2016.

Two years on, his family are still pushing to raise awareness of safety around water and to prevent the same thing happening to other families in the future.

Louis’ mother Holly Harris has organised tonight’s Boog-a-Lou charity fundraiser in support of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK, who are leading the way in water safety and drowning prevention education.

She said: “It was Louis’ 21st birthday on March 5 and he would have been graduating from university this year, so we wanted to mark these occasions. They’re very significant for us, and we thought they would be good opportunities to raise money for a worthy cause at the same time. Since Louis’ death we have become aware of just how many young people unfortunately lose their lives this way.”

Mrs Harris has been involved in giving water safety talks to sixth form students at Thomas Hardye, the school which Louis attended, and has also supported the RLSS’s annual Don’t Drink and Drown campaign.

She added: “It is a positive and rewarding thing to do. Education is important, we don’t feel it will ever be a match for safety improvements but we think it’s still extremely important.”

Boog-a-Lou will take place at The Collition Club in Dorchester tonight from 7pm until midnight. Remembering Louis’ passion for music, the event is set to kick off with an hour of karaoke from 7pm.

Mrs Harris said: “Louis loved music. He was really into singing from being a tiny kid, he was in choirs at school and then became a student of creative music technology at Bath Spa University.”

Anyone hoping to go along to the Boog-a-Lou can make an advance donation on the JustGiving page at justgiving.com/Holly-Harris5, or £5 on the door on the night.