Luton Town fan overwhelmed by support for Tom Lockyer banner

A banner celebrating Tom Lockyer will be held aloft by Luton Town fans

A Luton Town supporter says he is "stunned and overwhelmed" at the response to a fundraiser for a Tom Lockyer crowd-surfing banner.

The club's captain suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match away to Bournemouth in December.

Ollie Kay, presenter of the We Are Luton Town podcast wanted to create the banner "in appreciation" of Lockyer.

His initial target of £600 was met within hours and fans have now raised more than £3,000.

Mr Kay says the surplus funds could now be spent on two defibrillators.

He said he contacted the football club shortly after Lockyer's collapse, "because we don't have any crowd-surfing banners, or tifos (a display held up by fans)".

He added: "You see them around European football and in some Premier league stands as well - it really adds to the atmosphere."

A mock-up of how the banner would look at the home end of Kennilworth Road

The banner was designed by another member of We Are Luton Town, and Mr Kay put out an appeal on Friday night for £600 to have it printed.

"I put on £20 at midnight, and woke up at 06:30 on Saturday thinking it would still be at £20 - but it had already gone past the target.

"It was absolutely sensational stuff and it gathered more pace as the weekend went on."

He said they closed the appeal on Sunday after donations exceeded £3,000.

The initial plan had been to donate any extra money to the British Heart Foundation, but he said they were "re-evaluating as the amount we raised was so staggering".

"We're now in discussions with the club and St John Ambulance about getting a defibrillator - one at the ground and one on the other side for the use of the local community," he added.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer has been urging people to learn CPR after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch

Writing on the fundraising website, Mr Kay said: "Once again, I have to say, I am stunned by our fanbase, and overwhelmed by the generosity that has been shown."