DESPITE lining up alongside a team of television stars, a Bishop Auckland teenager was the star of a charity cricket match.

Sports fan Danny Burek won the admiration of the crowd that turned out to see actors from television soap opera Emmerdale play at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club's ground yesterday.

Members of Emmerdale's cast took on a team from BBC Radio Cleveland for a third consecutive year, to raise money for Children In Need.

Fans of television and sport mingled for the event, which also formed part of the club's 150th anniversary celebrations.

Danny, from Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, seized his chance to get in on the action when he saw Chris Chittell was suffering with an ankle injury.

The 15-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, volunteered to be a runner for the actor, who plays antique dealer Eric Pollard in the soap, and helped his team to victory.

"It was absolutely brilliant, I got to play the game I love with television stars," said the King James I Community College pupil.

Mr Chittell said: "Danny just came over and asked if he could help because he could see my leg was bad. We made a great partnership.

"The whole day has been great. The people here have huge hearts and it is nice to be part of Bishop's 150th anniversary year."

John Middleton, who stars as village vicar the Reverend Ashley Thomas, also featured in the soap stars' team, while the Radio Cleveland team included presenters Brigid Press and Mark Drury, sports reporter Len Brewer and BBC Look North's weather forecaster, Paul Mooney.