A Tony Parkes legends team beat soap star rivals 7-2 in a charity football match that raised around £12,000.

Players - including a host of Blackburn Rovers legends - took to the pitch on Sunday, September 25, in a fundraiser for the coach who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the son of Tommy Spurr who has been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.

The match raised £7,000 itself, with a further £5,000 being donated directly for the family of former Rovers star Tommy Spurr, who also took to the pitch on Sunday, to help pay for treatment for his three-year-old son Rio.

Many ex-Rovers players, including Derek Fazackerley, Mark Patterson, Colin Hendry, Mick Rathbone, Danny Graham, Craig Conway and more donned their football boots once again to raise money for their former manager to pay for his care following his diagnosis.

Organiser Tony Cartwright said: “It was a fantastic day. Tommy was in tears when someone came up to him and said he if signed the shirt he would donate £1,000 to his family.

“It really brought everyone together, the stands were packed out, we had Star Wars characters there for the kids.

“The mascot, Parkey came onto the pitch part way through the match and got red carded by the referee for kicking the ball before getting into a scuffle with Colin Hendry.

“It was just a great day and we raised a great amount for so many good causes.”

Around 1,000 fans packed into the stands of Clitheroe FC for the match, which saw the former Rovers stars emerge victorious.

In the celebrity team, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actors Tom Lister, Jacob Roberts, Joe-Warren Plant, and James Hooton all played, and even Steve Royale, from Chorley, who came third in Britain’s Got Talent took to the pitch.

There were Star Wars characters to entertain the children off the pitch, and at the end of the match, Tony Parkes came on to the pitch, much to the fans delight.

Signed football shirts were sold, as well as specially made Tony Parkes Blackburn Rovers shirts sponsored by Marc Darcy, which are still being sold to raise money for his care.

Tony added: “I just want to thank everyone who was involved in organising the match.

“I want to thank Clitheroe FC for having us and Marc Darcy for sponsoring the Tony Parkes shirts.”

The match also raised money for St Catherine’s Hospice and Crohn’s and Colitis UK.