A STAR-STUDDED ‘Geordie’ celebration and a celebrity golf day is set to raise much-needed funds to help a close friend of North-East actor Tim Healy.

The inaugural Tim Healy Celebrity Classic will be held at the MacDonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, in Northumberland.

All proceeds will go towards helping the family of actor Dave Whitaker, who now needs constant care after suffering a stroke in 2012.

The event, on Thursday September 7, will see television, music and sports personalities competing on the championship course, at Longhorsley, near Morpeth.

Players will come together at pre-play breakfast, at 10am, followed by tee-off in the four-ball shotgun-style competition, at 12-noon.

Once the last green is played there will be a prize-giving ceremony and a gala ‘Geordie’ dinner, live music and an auction.

Among the celebrities who have so far pledged support include Faye Tozer, co-lead singer of pop group Steps, Adam Gillen, who plays Healy’s son Liam in the ITV comedy drama series Benidorm, snooker legends Jimmy White and John Virgo, actor Gareth Hale, of Hale and Pace fame, plus former IBF World Cruiserweight boxing champion Glenn McCrory, Game of Thrones actor Clive Russell, Bread and Coronation Street actress Melanie Hill and cricketer Steve Harmison.