The Stewart Downing Auction is drawing to a close - so act fast if you want to lodge a bid for one of the items that the Middlesbrough winger has made available.

There are four pieces of rare and exclusive memorabilia to bid for, including the shirt Downing wore during Middlesbrough in May's UEFA Cup final which, at the time of going to press last night, had attracted a huge bid of £1,200.

There are three other collectors items available, but the charity auction, for the Vicki Downing Memorial Fund, closes at midday tomorrow so, to avoid disappointment, interested parties are urged to lodge their bids as soon as possible.

l Lot Two: The England shirt Boro's left-winger wore against Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup this summer. Current highest bid £400.

l Lot Three: Jonathan Woodgate's signed and framed Real Madrid shirt. Current highest bid £350.

l Lot Four: A signed and framed Boro shirt worn by Woodgate. Current highest bid £200.

All four winners will be invited to collect their items from Downing himself at The Northern Echo's Local Heroes Awards which take place on Thursday night at Hardwick Hall in Sedgefield, County Durham.

And a fifth sought-after item, a pair of Downing's signed World Cup boots, will be auctioned live, in front of the 700 guests, at the Local Heroes Awards itself.

The auction is being held in memory of Downing's sister, Vicki, who died in 1993.

She had developed a malignant tumour and lost her two-year battle for life aged just four.

Since Vicki died, Downing's family have raised money for the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary's children's cancer ward where she was cared for.

More than a decade later, the Vicki Downing Memorial Fund is being set up by the family and Downing said: "I think about her all of the time.

"I am one of those who is lucky. When you look at what has happened to me, it shows how fortunate people can be, but there are lot of kids out there, like Vicki, who are seriously ill.

"I know, because of what happened to Vicki, that it can be really difficult to deal with for anyone who is close to the family."