A CHARITY football match to raise money for a disabled youngster has raised £4,000.

The fancy dress game was held the Riverside Football Club, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on Saturday and was followed by a social event with a raffle and tombola at the Pelton Crown.

It was to help three-year-old Charlie Thornton, who suffers from a genetic condition which leaves him unable to sit up and talk or breathe and eat by himself.

He was diagnosed at the age of one as having congenital myopathy and spent nine months in hospital.

A tracheotomy affected his vocal chords and means he is not able to talk, but he can understand everything and communicates with his parents, Stephen and Kay Thornton of South Moor, Stanley, through facial expressions and gestures.

His family has now raised about £10,000 for a specially-adapted van to take him to Beechdale Nursery School in Consett, where staff have been trained to care for him, and adapt their home with special equipment.

Mr Thornton said: “We are overwhelmed with amount raised and the kindness people have shown.

“Keith Franklin, Tracey Harrison and Paul Bainbridge who organised the football have been a godsend. It was a great day.”

A charity boxing match organised by Anthony Daglish at the Federation Brewery in Gateshead recently raised also raised around £6,000.

To donate log on to www.gofundme.com/n15uss.