MIDDLESBROUGH Football Club coach Colin Cooper has presented cheques for more than £10,000 to charities helping ill children from a fund set up in his son’s memory.

The Finlay Cooper Fund was set up by Mr Cooper and his wife, Julie, after the death of their two-year-old, who choked on a screw in January 2002. The appeal raises money for children’s causes and projects.

Butterwick Children’s Hospice, in Stockton, Zoe’s Place baby hospice, in Middlesbrough, Martin House Hospice, near Wetherby, North Yorkshire, and the First Steps Appeal will receive proceeds from the Dragonfly charity ball, which was held in Wynyard Hall, in June.

The First Steps Appeal is supporting three-year-old Nathan Hall, from Thornaby, near Stockton, who has cerebral palsy and is receiving treatment at the Bobath Centre in London.

Mr Cooper, a former Middlesbrough defender who earned two caps for England, said: “Nathan’s story touched our hearts, and we have built up a great relationship with the hospices. It’s great to give them a hand.” Donations can be made at justgiving.com/thefinlaycooperfund

* Pictured with Nathan are - from left, Julie Cooper, Elaine Dunning, from Zoe’s Place, Quentin and Daphne Pearson, from Martin House Hospice, Nathan’s mum Kathy Hall and Steph Wood, from Butterwick Children’s Hospice.