A GROUP of football fans is to boost an appeal fund by almost £4,000 for a goalkeeper left paralysed in a road accident.

The 15 Hartlepool United fans reached York City's Bootham Crescent at 1pm on Saturday in time for their team's match, after leaving Hartlepool's Victoria Park at 8am on Thursday.

The 58-mile walk, completed in about 16 hours, was in aid of Jon Robert Collingwood, a 17-year-old goalkeeper injured in a road accident a week before signing scholarship forms for Hartlepool United.

It was hoped to raise more than £2,000, but the group, including The Northern Echo sports editor Nick Loughlin and club mascot H'Angus the Monkey, is aiming to double that figure after being overwhelmed by the response from Hartlepool fans on Saturday.

A total of £650 was raised from donations on route, and walk organiser Ron Harnish said: "The response has been brilliant from everyone who walked, to the supporters at York on Saturday.

Hartlepool United chief scout Tommy Miller launched the appeal, which now stands at more than £25,000, to help adapt the home of Jon Roberts' parents in Blackhall.

Jon Robert is in the spinal injuries unit at Hexham.