SIR Bobby Robson has achieved his goal of raising enough money to set up a cancer research centre in his native North-East.

The former Newcastle United and England manager, who is battling cancer for the fifth time, raised the £500,000 needed to set up the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre.

In only eight weeks, donations flooded in from the public and some of the biggest names in football.

The centre will be built at the new Northern Centre for Cancer Care, at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, which will feature research facilities, a 12-bed unit with treatment rooms, laboratory and consulting facilities.

Sir Bobby said: "It truly has been an amazing week for my wife and I.

"We started off down at Wembley, where I presented the FA Cup, and now here we are, having achieved our first fundraising target for the foundation.

"It meant a huge amount for me to present the cup, but I will be even more proud to hand over that cheque for £500,000.

"To raise so much money in such a short time is a fantastic achievement and I am very grateful for all the support we have had to help make it happen.

"But there is still so much more we can do, and we will keep on going just as long as we can."

A fundraising dinner at St James' Park, attended by the likes of Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Charlton, pushed the appeal over the finishing line, raising more than £80,000.

A charity golf day will be held at Matfen Hall, in Northumberland, on June 13 and a sponsored walk will be held in Langley Park, the County Durham village where Sir Bobby grew up, on June 1.

He said: "We set off to do a job on behalf of my oncologist, Dr Ruth Plummer, and I am happy knowing we are doing something practical to help the experts beat this terrible disease -not just for the benefit of local people who are battling cancer now, but for the future.

"We have reached our first goal and the money left over after the new Cancer Trials Centre is set up will go towards other cancer-related projects in the North-East, which we will announce soon."

To donate, visit sirbobby robsonfoundation.co.uk or send a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton, Newcastle, NE7 7QG.