But trainee teacher Vikki Foss's memory will live on in a pioneering scheme set up in her memory by her family.

Vikki, who died suddenly from an asthma attack in March, would have graduated this month from her training at the Dame Judith Professional Centre, Cosham, Portsmouth.

She was not among the line-up as the teachers completed their training, but her father Nigel was there in her place to launch a charity scheme in her memory.

Vikki had been worried that guidelines meant teachers were unable to hug pupils who were upset. So before her death she had the idea of having a teddy bear in every classroom to chelp comfort children.

Mr Foss, 54, of Dore Avenue, Portchester, his wife Mary and daughter Natalie have now made her dream a reality by handing out 33in teddy bears to the 22 newly-qualified teachers who were Vikki's colleagues so they can take them to their new schools.

Mr Foss said he believed his daughter would have been delighted at the scheme.

'I can hear her cheering,' he said. 'We have had bad days, and there are days when I have difficulty coming to terms with what happened. But I feel that if Vikki was here today she would be saying "go for it, Dad".

'The bears don't have Vikki's name on but she is there on our website. And somebody doesn't die if they are in your heart and in your memory, and this is one way people will remember Vikki.'

The cuddly toys are called Awaairebears – taking in the name of the Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research charity AAIR. Mr Foss paid for the first batch, but hopes sponsors will pay for other teachers in the future. Money raised through the scheme will go to asthma research.

He told the newly-qualified teachers: 'I hope it is big enough that it can't be shoved in the back of a cupboard, and if the children get distressed they can give it a hug.

'Even though Vikki is not here with you today, you all have our heartiest congratulations for where you have got to and where you are going.'