DAVID Dunn has revealed he turned down interest from elsewhere to sign a new two-and-a-half-year-deal with Blackburn Rovers.

While Benni McCarthy was making it clear that he would rather be anywhere but Ewood Park, Dunn was penning a new contract yesterday to keep him with his hometown club until the summer of 2012.

The 30-year-old had been due to be out of contract at the end of this season but negotiations had been underway for some time about a new deal, with Dunn keen to remain with the club where he started his career.

“I’m very pleased to commit my future to the football club,” said Dunn, who previously had an unsuccessful spell away from the club at Birmingham after a fall-out with former Rovers boss Graeme Souness.

“I’ve been itching to get something done for quite a while now.

“There were other options but I think everyone’s fully aware what this club means to me.

“I’ve been away before but I didn’t like it, so this is the place where I want to be playing.

“I’m a lot more mature than I was when I was younger and I'm really pleased with how things have gone this year.”