SUNDERLAND football star Jason McAteer started a day of events to mark the opening of a revamped food hall in Durham yesterday.

The Black Cats midfielder was at the Durham City branch of Marks and Spencer for the unveiling of its food section after a £900,000 refurbishment. The kind-hearted soccer ace offered his services free - his usual fee was spent on Easter eggs for the children's ward at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Customers enjoyed treats as part of the store's celebrations. Some shoppers received miniature Easter eggs while others enjoyed samples of the store's many new food lines.

Work has been under way for the past six weeks although the store remained open. Branch manager Katie Tomlin said: "The new food hall looks fabulous and the feedback from our customers has already been very positive. We will now be able to stock a wider range of quality foods with something to suit everyone."