A FOOTBALL club has stepped in to help a local charity fund dedicated to finding a cure for a debilitating disease.

Middlesbrough Football Club has nominated The Mike Findley MND Fund, which raises money to research into motor neurone disease (MND), to receive £2,000.

The charity was set up by Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillor Mike Findley, after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2005.

Since its formation, more than £20,000 has been raised through various local events and support from a number of businesses and organisations.

Coun Findley, from Marske, said: "I first realised I had a problem, in September 2004, while having a shave and I found I couldn't keep my arm up.

"I was diagnosed with MND in June 2005, and it was hard to take at first.

"But I've always been a very confident and positive person - involved in my community and with various organisations - so I decided to continue life as normally as possible.

"I decided to do something to raise awareness and generate funds for research into MND because there is no cure."

The latest £2,000 boost has been donated by the Premier League, as part of the its community programme, Creating Chances.

The fund is one of 20 runners-up selected by Middlesbrough Football Club in the Places for Players initiative.

The initiative involves 200 Premier League players supporting charities to help raise awareness of their work.

Nadean Porritt, treasurer of The Mike Findley MND Fund, saidd: "This is excellent news, so on behalf of Mike I would like to say a sincere thank you to Middlesbrough Football Club who have always been very supportive of The Mike Findley MND Fund and Mike's aim of doing everything possible in the hope that one day a cure will be found.

"Mike's inspiration is Middlesbrough FC Legend, the late Willie Maddren, who lost his battle with MND in August 2000. Out of the £2,000, £1,500 will be sent to the MND Association for Research and £500 to the Cleveland MNDA Group that supports and helps local people suffering with MND."