Eighteen months ago, colleagues broke into Tim Suter's flat when the 27-year-old failed to turn up for work. They found Tim dead in bed.

He had suffered an epileptic seizure in his sleep.

Only six days earlier, he had been best man at his brother's wedding.

Now staff at Lloyds TSB Trustcard and Tim's mother are making sure his death is not forgotten by campaigning and fund-raising for more research and awareness about the "Cinderella" illness.

Though Tim had suffered from epilepsy since he was 17, he was the life and soul of every party without taking unnecessary risks.

He was careful about his drinking and, as far as family and friends can be certain, never forgot to take his medication.

But what Tim and his family were never fully aware of was that epilepsy, the most common serious neurological condition, claims the lives every year of an estimated 1,000 people in the UK, more than the toll for both cot deaths and Aids.

Tim, who lived in Southdown Avenue, Brighton, died just six days after he was best man at the wedding of his older brother Jeremy, 31, at the Findon Manor Hotel in Worthing.

The night before his death he had attended a quiz night staged by Lloyds TSB's sports and social club in which he played a leading role.

Tim worked for the banking giant as a senior software developer. As usual he had been careful about drinking and, apart from leaving the quiz early saying he felt a little tired, there were no obvious danger signs.

His mother, Susan Allen, said: "Colleagues from work broke into his flat and found him the next day when he did not arrive for work.

"They were concerned because it was just not like him because he would always call in and was so reliable."

She believes if Tim had known more about the risks he might still be alive.

She said: "He led a very independent life and was careful about taking his medication. He was described to me only the other day as a party animal. He enjoyed being the life and soul of the sports and social club but without taking massive risks such as drinking excessive amounts.

"But I think if he had known more about the risks he would have been even more vigilant."

Tim had been able to control his seizures for many years but they began to increase intensity after his medication was changed because of a problem with his white blood cells.

Mrs Allen, who works for the Social and Caring Services Department of West Sussex County Council in Chichester, said: "His death was such a shock to us."

Tim died in November 2000 and Mrs Allen says that she is hoping that a day will come when fewer families face the same sort of anguish.

She has now switched from full-time work with the county council to part-time to help the charity Epilepsy Bereaved and recently attended the launch of a Government-funded report into the condition that affects more than 300,000 people in the UK.

The report said that, despite the number of epilepsy-related deaths, the condition "was a Cinderella illness with low levels of research and funding of services compared with other comparable chronic conditions".

Five Government reports over 50 years had identified serious shortfalls in epilepsy service provision but there had been little action.

Mrs Allen understood only too well a section from the report by Professor David Fish, a consultant neurologist at the National Hospital in London, which said: "Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is the syndrome where a person with epilepsy dies suddenly and no other cause of death is revealed."

The report also found that there were problems investigating and recording deaths because of a "myth" that developed during the 20th century that individual seizures were not life-threatening.

Mrs Allen hopes this report will lead to action and improved neurological services for carers as well as patients.

It has already led to a pledge by the Government's Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson that within three months he will publish an action plan to reduce the level of preventable deaths.

Sir Liam praised the Epilepsy Bereaved report, saying: "The audit makes a vital contribution to improving care standards."

Mrs Allen said of the audit: "It has given me an enormous sense of relief. It is awful not knowing how someone has died and it has also helped knowing that we were not alone.

"I hope it will help other families avoid the extreme grief and distress of the death of a young person."

Meanwhile, Tim's friends and work colleagues have raised thousands of pounds since his death for research.

Paul Jeffery, who found Tim dead, said: "It was a big shock. I had known Tim for ten years but I did not know he suffered from epilepsy until six to seven months before he died.

"You don't realise that it can be life threatening and that you can go in your sleep. I am prepared to help in any way I can with fund-raising and making people more aware so that he is not forgotten."

Paul, of the bank's information technology department, went to Tim's flat after becoming worried that he had not reported for work.

He took a first aider with him but after breaking down a door there was nothing that they could do. He says simply: "It was a bad experience."

A sponsored walk was staged last month by staff from Lloyds TSB and their bosses have promised to match the amount raised.

They have also staged a charity raffle at one of the quiz nights which Tim loved so much. Brighton-based disc jockey FatBoy Slim supported the prize fund by donating his first record box. Members of Tim's favourite football team, Arsenal, sent a signed pennant.

Mr Jeffery said: "Tim enjoyed a good laugh but he would also listen. He was very popular with all the people he worked with and they want to help."