SOAP stars will join former international football players for a charity match this weekend to help a North-East youth football club.

Actors from Coronation Street, Holby City, Hollyoaks and Brookside will be joined by some of the biggest names in the game from the 1970s and 1980s for a match in aid of Durham County Football Club on Sunday.

Coronation Street stars Steve Arnold, who plays Ashley, Alan Hassall, who plays Tyrone, Andy Wyment, better known as Kirk, and Ryan Thomas, who plays Jason Grimshaw, will be among players.

They will be joined by former Newcastle United manager Kenny Dalglish and Anfield team mate Alan Kennedy, former Sunderland stars Micky Horswill, Martin Gray and Brian Atkinson, Manchester City hero Asa Hartford and former Liverpool legends David Speedie and Gary Gillespie.

The match will raise much-needed funds for the club, which was set up in 1992 and is the biggest club in the Russell Foster League, with teams ranging from under-eights to under-17s.

Club coach Shaun Lavender said: "We are hoping to attract a capacity crowd of 3,000 from around the region, both young and old, to the match to make it a great afternoon.

"Funds raised will go into the club to help with the cost of taking our players away to tournaments in the coming season."

Doors open at the Archibalds Stadium, Ferens Park, in Belmont, Durham City, at 11.30am. The crowd will be entertained by a penalty shootout involving the club's junior players from noon, followed by the pro-celebrity match at 1pm.

Seating is £8 for adults, and £4 for children and pensioners. It is £5 for adults, and £3 for concessions, to stand.

To book, call 0775 355 6715.