ARTIST Damien Hirst has donated a painting worth more than £10,000 to raise money for a cancer charity.

Whoever buys the work will be supporting The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and have the chance to meet the former Newcastle and England manager.

Sir Bobby, who is fighting cancer for the fifth time and has raised more than £1m for his charity, has thanked the artist for his generosity.

He said: “I think it’s a fantastic and generous gesture from Mr Hirst. He’s clearly a very talented artist and I must say I’ll be sorry to give up this wonderful painting.

“I’m sure we’ll find a very appreciative buyer who will enjoy owning this striking artwork – and they will also have the satisfaction of knowing they have helped a very important cause.”

Mr Hirst, whose work has dominated British art since the Nineties, said: “Bobby Robson is an inspiration to so many, a legend.”

The artwork, one of Mr Hirst’s acclaimed spin paintings, will be displayed at the Lazarides Gallery, on Newcastle’s Quayside, for the next few months.

Prospective buyers are invited to register their interest with the gallery.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation will initially focus on the early detection and treatment of cancer.

It will also help support clinical trials of promising new treatments to tackle the disease.

It has already raised enough money to set up a Cancer Trials Research Centre, which will treat patients from across the region from later this month.