SIR Alex Ferguson gave East Lancashire children an update on David Beckham's injury, and reckoned the broken bone should be renamed in honour of the England hero.

The Manchester United boss spoke as a Ribble Valley woman revealed how she gave Becks the boot -- delivering the cast which has become world-famous since he put it on to protest his injured foot.

Fergie was opening a new school when he quipped that the metatarsal bone should be renamed the 'Beckham bone'.

Sir Alex told children that he was confident Becks would play in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea then went on to dash the dreams of Burnley fans by saying he would love to see them in the Premiership -- but thought it would be Norwich in the play-offs after this Sunday's games.

Sir Alex was speaking as he opened a new building at Rossendale School in Ramsbottom.

The school in Bamford Road caters for pupils with special educational needs.

As he visited the classrooms before the official unveiling of a plaque to mark the opening, some of the pupils spoke to Sir Alex of their hopes for Beckham's recovery and for England in this summer's World Cup in Japan.

Sir Alex said: "I would like to see Burnley playing us in the Premiership next season but I have got a sneaky feeling for Norwich in the play-offs.

"We will just have to wait and see what happens next weekend." He added that he had been inspired by his visit to the school.

He said: "I lead a very uncomplicated life. All I do is train footballers but I come here and I am inspired by what I see.

"It is so important with young people to encourage them to say well done which are two small but wonderful words.

"However, I have to say that I come up here to bandit country and all I see are Blackburn fans. Nobody seems to support Manchester United," he said.

Christine Billington, of New Page Fold Farm, Waddington, has revealed it was her that delivered Beckham's now-famous cast to him following his devastating clash against Deportivo last week.

"It was unbelievable," said Christine, northern sales executive for Lincolnshire-based Aircast UK.

"When I delivered the boot to the Manchester United training ground I had no idea who it was for or how important it was. But there was no doubt the next day when the boot seemed to have become the most important piece of equipment in the country.

"It would be great to see David Beckham leading out the team in Japan and to be able to say that I had played a part in that," she added.

The high impact pneumatic walker is revolutionary in that while immobilising his damaged foot, it still enables Beckham to walk.

Aircast say this will enable him to maintain his fitness and avoid the downside of muscle wasting associated with the use of a conventional plaster cast.