COUNTLESS friends and supporters have helped raise cash for Lol Hare's fund for his future, which now stands at £91,000.Now those friends are set to include some in very high places, as David Beckham, Tony Adams, and David Seaman join the effort.

By Tracey Sparling

COUNTLESS friends and supporters have helped raise cash for Lol Hare's fund for his future, which now stands at £91,000.

Now those friends are set to include some in very high places, as David Beckham, Tony Adams and David Seaman among others join the effort. Health and education editor

Tracey Sparling tells how famous names are helping make a grand auction a success, after hearing how Lol is battling his paralysis.

BIG names from the sporting world are uniting in a bidding war to help former speedway star Lol Hare.

David Beckham, Sir Henry Cooper, Tony Adams, David Seaman and Richard Wright are among the professionals who have taken Lol's cause to their hearts.

They have all donated signed memorabilia for an auction to be held at the County Hotel, Copdock, on October 4.

Lol is looking forward to being there to see everybody.

The event will take place a few weeks before the 32-year-old is due to move home from Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where he is learning rehabilitation skills after being paralysed from the chest down in a crash at Newport in April.

Tickets for the night, supported by The Evening Star, have sold out already but there is still a chance for a business or individual to sponsor a table or two, buy a draw ticket to win a car or submit a sealed bid.

Auctioneers for the night will be Star columnist Bob Shelley and comedian and entertainer Micky Zany. The Star's editor, Nigel Pickover, will make a guest appearance.

The top prize in a draw will be a £6,500 Peugeot 106 car from Guy Nicholls, at Fork Rent plc, Ipswich.

"People have been wonderfully generous and there are some really fantastic items on offer," said Lynn Dennis, Lol's aunt who – along with former speedway promoter Mike Weston – runs the fund for his future in association with the Star.

She said the prizes had been gleaned by friends making the most of their contacts in the sporting world and the famous names sent rare memorabilia after they heard Lol's story.

She added: "We have also got 30 prizes for the tombola, donated by people all over the area, and they are all very special items too. I would like to thank everybody for being so generous."

The fund for Lol already stands at £91,000 and she hopes the auction will boost it to over £100,000, which was the original target.

However, money is expected to still pour in after that and the trust fund will continue to provide cash for things which will help make Lol's life easier.

Thank yous go to: Guy Nicholls, Matt Cotterill at Foxwood Ceramics, Richard Wright, Mark Lomas, David Beckham, Colin Jennings, Russell Hamlitt, Brian and Carol Dunnett, The England World Cup squad, Fork Rent plc, Wolsey Press, The Gentle Touch, Michael Van Clarke, Shrubland Hall, The County Hotel.

n To sponsor the event, buy a £10 draw ticket for the car, or submit a sealed bid for any item. Call Lynn Dennis on 01473 259021.

n Donations for the fund can be sent to Geraldine Thompson, editor's secretary, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN.