INTERVIEW: Dad to open new Morecambe gym to honour teenage son after tragic road death

Monday, 14 July 2025 14:26

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

The father of a teenage boxing champion who died in a road accident will open a new gym to keep his son's memory alive.

Lee Mountain has spoken to Beyond Radio about his plans to honour his son Leo with a new facility in the Westgate area of Morecambe.

Leo died after being hit by an HGV on the Bay Gateway in the early hours of Sunday, April 20.

The 18-year-old North West boxing champion was a skilled and popular amateur boxer at the Coastal boxing club in the town.

"When Leo passed, I said we needed two things to happen," said Lee.

"I need his name to continue and I need something good to come from the tragedy."

So Lee is setting up a new gym on Whitefield Place, which he hopes will help other people who - like Leo - may have encountered tough times.

Lee explained how, through his love of combat sports, Leo overcame challenges in his life to become a champion.

LISTEN to our interview with Lee Mountain

"In Year 7 of high school, Leo started to change," said Lee.

"He was more insular. Eventually he was brave and explained he was being bullied at school.

"As a parent, it's awful. You feel so helpless.

"Leo told us he was starting to self-harm.

"So we took him to Shay Walsh's MMA gym on Skerton and got him into combat sports.

"He kept on working and he progressed, until he was sparring with men when he was 13/14.

"Just before lockdown we went to Scotland to a kick boxing competition and he won that.

"He would have been a cage fighter, but a month or so before he was due to have his first cage fight, he announced he wanted to be a boxer.

"We went to Coastal Boxing Gym and he absolutely loved it. Leo held his own, straightaway.

"He had numerous fights, then the year before last he won the Manchester Box Cup and last year, he won the under 60 kilo North West Title.

"It was a fabulous day.

"Boxing was his life. He wanted to go professional. It meant everything to him. Boxing changed his life, from having low esteem and being bullied.

"I was so so proud. I was in his corner and so so thankful that Leo allowed me to go on this journey with him. It was a special journey."

When Leo died, the community rallied round to raise money in his memory.

"After he passed, the boxing community and local community and some of our friends, wanted to do something," said Lee.

"(Boxing coach and referee) Steve Tallo-Brady set up a gofundme page, I'll be honest, I wasn't convinced. I nearly told him, no thank you.

"Steve was just being nice and saying it was for the funeral. I thought, no, I can do that, I can pay for my own son's funeral.

"But something inside me stopped and I said no. If people want to donate some money, we can try to do something good with it.

"We were lucky enough to raise around £10,000. I spoke to Leo's kick boxing coach Kris and said if we set something up, shall we do it together in Leo's memory.

"So we rented a building. We've got a plan, for a matted area where we can do the lessons, a weights area and a cardio area.

"I want to try to keep Leo's name current. I want him to live on longer than me.

"And I want something good to happen. Whether you're getting bullied or depressed, come down. I can't say I'll fix you, but I'll try.

"Everybody is welcome. I'm wanting an inclusive gym, whether you're young or old. Come down, have a train, we'll have a laugh, and I want it to be a community like things used to be, where everyone looked out for each other.

Below, Lee Mountain inside the unit where he will open the new gym.

"We're going to have a community wall for people who have helped us, try and give something back.

"There will be a lot of pictures of Leo."

Work is currently taking place to get the gym ready, and Lee is aiming for a late July/early August opening - with a community open day to launch the new venture.

The gym, at Unit 3A Whitefield Place, Morecambe, will be for kick boxing and boxing training primarily but with scope for other activities in future.

Lee thanked everyone who has supported Leo's family after their heartbreaking loss.

"The support that we got with messages, on Facebook and people coming to the house, it was lovely.

"And people putting their hand in their pocket, not really knowing where the money was going to go, was phenomenal.

"I'm so thankful for people's generosity."