TEACHERS were joined by celebrities and an MP to raise more than £4,000 for a children’s hospital.

Thousands came along to watch Freddie’s Heroes, a team of Fred Longworth High School teachers and Leigh MP Andy Burnham, take on the All Stars, which featured celebrities such as Ralf Little, Chris Bisson and Chris Fountain, at Atherton Collieries A.F.C.

The seven-a-side match not only celebrated the school’s 50th birthday but raised thousands of pounds for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital which treated Freddie’s pupil Reece Taylor.

Reece, aged 13, has been raising money for the hospital as a way of saying thank you since he was treated there after he was diagnosed with leukaemia aged seven.

Alex Gallimore, director of business and finance at the school, said: “So far, we have raised more than £4,000 for the hospital and we still have a raffle to come with signed ball and programmes amongst the prizes.

“The day was a real success and it was great to see families from our community coming together once again to help us celebrate our 50th year.

“The final score was eight-one to the All Stars, who had a number of celebrities in their team including Anthony Quinlan, Andy Whyment, Trevor Dwyer-Lynch and Rhodri Giggs (brother of United legend Ryan).

“We had our own celebrity in Andy Burnham who intends to get a team of MPs together to take on the Freddie's team next year.”

More than 3,000 people attended the event which was part of a year of activities organised to celebrate the school’s 50th year.

The school has so far unveiled a plaque which shows the history of Tyldesley and the school on March 7, exactly 50 years after the school opened its doors, and the raffle will be held in September.

Reece still attends the hospital for scans to ensure the cancer has not returned and the funds raised will go towards redesigning and revamping the hospital’s Teen-Zone – a specialist unit that provides equipment for teenagers in the hospital.