IT WAS an autograph hunter's dream when the stars came to Chorley, bringing a feast of fun, laughs and football.

St Michael's School was packed at the weekend with people wanting to meet sporting heroes Emlyn Hughes (pictured), Terry McDermott, Andy Gereaghty, John Kelly, Glenn Keeley and David Johnson.

TV celebs Tony Pitts (Archie in Emmerdale), Brookside's Peter Harrison (real name Rob Beck), the Disney Club's Paul Hendy and John Lennon soundalike Gary Gibson also joined in the charity event.

Gladiator Warrior, who is a self-confessed stand-up comedian, had the audience rolling with laughter when he compered an evening of entertainment and a grand auction.

An all-star signed Citizen T-shirt fetched £35, but the prize catch was a toilet roll said to be from the Starship Enterprise, for which Peter Brobyn of Magnum Furniture Superstore coughed up £50. Meanwhile a signed picture of Ryan Giggs went for just £25! Exuberant entertainer Shane Richie kicked off Sunday's soccer action. Shane, who is starring in Grease at Manchester's Opera House, said he thoroughly enjoyed his first visit to Chorley. He left a cheery message for Chorley Hospital Radio to transmit to patients.

The Crusaders skydivers settled for a fly-over when the wind stopped them dropping in

The Chorley Hurricanes thrashed the Emlyn Hughes All Stars 5-3, the first time the celebrity team has been beaten. Local lads from the Chorley Wonderers totted up 4-2 against the Blackburn Rovers Over 35s.

The weekend was a roaring success, raising hundreds of pounds for St Michael's School and the Citizen's Appeal for the Lancashire and Lakeland Cancer Unit in Preston.

Organiser Tony Cartwright said: "There was a friendly atmosphere with the stars mingling in with Chorley people and feeling very much at home. It's taken almost a year of hard work to organise but it has been worth it."

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