A CHARITY football tournament has raised £7,000 to help a Blackburn cancer victim trapped in an NHS red tape trap.

Elliott Simpson, 26 from Green Park Close in Mill Hill, suffers from worsening skin cancer but is barred from receiving the second set of drugs he needs to combat its spread by “rigid rules” governing their use.

If he had not also suffered from Crohn’s disease he would have got both courses of treatment automatically in 2020.

Now he and his family are trying to raise £180,000 for private treatment after his second appeal against the NHS refusal of funding was turned down last week.

On Sunday July 24 his friends staged friendly football tournament at the Feniscowles and Pleasington Recreation Ground in Blackburn known as the 'Fenny Rec'.

More than 70 players in 10 teams took part.

The event raised £7,000 from local businesses sponsorship and donations made on the day.

The was also a tombola, raffle, face painting and a bouncy castle

Organiser and friend of Elliott's Jonathan Fogarty said: "“I am blown away by the support of everyone that helped pull the day together to raise the staggering amount of £7,000 towards Elliott’s fundraising appeal.

"This is just one of the many events that Elliott’s friends and family have organised and I will continue to support them in any way possible.”

Elliott's mother Sonia Littler who lives in Eldercott Grove in Deane, Bolton, said: "It was a fantastic event and we are very grateful to everyone who played, attended or sponsored it.

"Earlier this month another friend of Elliott's organised an event at the Havelock pub in Mill Hill which raised £3,600."

So far Elliott's family and friends have raised approaching £40,000 through a Go Fund me page and events.