THE family of 88-year-old granddad Jack Platt, who died hours after being found following a two day search, have launched a fundraising page to set up an award in his name to give back to the community.

Granddad-of-six Jack, who went missing from Reeve Court Retirement Village on Saturday, July 21, was found next to a lake in Waterside Village just after 3pm on Monday, July 23 following a community led search.

However at 10.30pm that night, his family announced his death via a statement on the Find Jack Platt Facebook page, thanking those who helped find him by saying “our small town rallied together to help a man that they’d never met or even heard about.”

After hundreds of messages from the community wanting to do something in the army veteran's memory, his family have decided to set up a fundraising page with the aim to start an award in Jack's name for those who have done great deeds in the community.

Speaking to the Star, Jack’s daughter-in-law Lindsay Platt, 41 from Rainhill, said: "The community from our little town gave us, closure, without their tireless help and persistence we wouldn't have got that and we can never thank you all enough for what you did.

"We have been asked by so many people to set up this page and as we are all involved in St Helens Sea Cadets, as were most of the search party who looked for Jack, we decided that we could do something with them.

"Jack had planned his funeral in 2009, so we don't need funds for that, but this way if we raise enough, we can present an award at the awards ceremony that St Helens Sea Cadets hold every year in December, in Jack's name - called The Jack Platt Community Spirit Award.

"Awards usually go to the high flyers in the cadets, but this award would go to thank someone who has done a lot for the community - it's our way of giving something back for the community support that brought everyone together in the first place.

"The amazing response we have received during this sad time has put such a positive light on things and we think it's really important to acknowledge the community spirit that led us to finding Jack."

Along with the award the family would also like to offer the award winner a trip offshore in one of the Sea Cadets vessels, paid for by this memorial fund.

To donate go to gofundme.com/the-jack-platt-community-award.