SPORTS fans have raised £20,000 for Durham’s St Cuthbert’s Hospice

Neville’s Cross Football Club have been holding annual football and golf matches since 2007.

Club spokesman David Wood, of Langley Moor , said: “We were originally inspired to raise money for St Cuthbert’s Hospice after our friend Neil Aspinall died of cancer.

“We’ve run football matches every year and we’re very proud to have raised a total of £20,000. But we’re not going to give up.

“People in our community have a great time, they meet old friends and they raise money for a very worthy cause.”

An Old Boys versus Young Guns game will be played at Meadowfield Sports Centre from 1.30pm on Sunday (May 25).

It will be followed by a charity night at The Station pub in Langley Moor.

The group will also hold a community cricket match at Brandon Cricket Club on August 24 and a golf day at Boldon Golf Club on September 19.

Mr Wood said: “The hospice doesn’t need a lot of selling. We in this community have supported St Cuthbert’s because is has helped and supported so many of our friends and families.

The hospice’s deputy chief executive, Fiona Vallis, said: “Twenty thousand pounds in donations is a truly amazing achievement.

“We are so grateful to Neville’s Cross Football Club, who we have been able to count on as supporters, for many years now. The team of supporters have fun and fundraise – it’s the way to do it and we and all our patients over the years are grateful.”