FOOTBALL fans will be given a final opportunity to help two Darlington charities and win a piece of Britain's football heritage tonight.

Two pieces of Wembley Stadium's turf will be raffled when Darlington Football Club take on Premiership side Bradford City in the Worthington Cup.

Darlington Borough Council has secured the foot-square pieces of turf before the stadium is demolished after the England versus Germany World Cup qualifying game next month.

The council teamed up with The Northern Echo to organise a raffle of the turf, with all proceeds going to the Giving Tree Appeal and the Friends of Harewood House.

Raffle tickets, costing £1, have been on sale at Darlington Town Hall and The Northern Echo's Priestgate office, but it is hoped the majority of money will be raised at tonight's game.

Darlington chairman George Reynolds has agreed to let raffle tickets be sold at the first leg of the cup tie at Feethams.

He has also promised to put some of his own money into the fundraising pot.

The prize draw will be made at half-time, when two names will be drawn out of a hat, hopefully by a celebrity.

The Giving Tree appeal collects money and gifts for children and families who are less well off. It raises an average annual total of £35,000.

Harewood House is a respite care home for children who are profoundly physically or mentally disabled. The Friends of Harewood is its charity fundraising support arm.

Darlington MP Alan Milburn, who secured the turf for the council, said: "Both the Giving Tree and Harewood Lodge are first-rate organisations, providing desperately needed services and support to some of the most vulnerable local people in the community.