Spennymoor Boxing Academy play host to an infamous special guest at their annual dinner next week when they welcome 'Mad' Frankie Fraser.

The East End hard man is a patron of Bethnal Green's Repton Boxing Club in London who are supplying some of the boxers for next Friday's bash.

Repton is also where the Kray brothers trained and more recently, British gold medalist Audley Harrison.

Fraser travels north to attend the event which will feature 12 bouts including Spennymoor's Stuart McCrone against Merseysider Stephen Birch.

The top-of-the-bill middleweight contest has taken on extra importance for McCrone as England coach Ian Urwin will be in attendance and the Spennymoor boxer has been told a place in the England squad awaits if he wins.

But he faces a tough task as his opponent won a bronze medal while representing England at the Multi-Nations Championships last week.

The Academy's other high hopes are George Gallone and middleweight Hugh Shannon. Academy Director of Coaching Robert Ellis praised Gallone saying: "He's fast becoming one of the best light-welterweights in the North-East."

Taking place at the Spennymoor Leisure Centre Arena, the bouts will be preceded by a four-course dinner and York blues band the String Dazzlers.

A limited number of tickets remain for the night which starts at 7.30pm on November 10. They are available on (01388) 813213 or 07968 205043 and they cost £25 each