NO one could expect to fully fill the shoes of Sir Bobby Robson following his epic achievements in raising more than £2m for cancer research while he so bravely battled the disease.

But Alan Shearer comes as close as anyone and he is the perfect choice to take over as the figurehead of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

It was Sir Bobby’s wish that the work he had begun should continue after his death, and Shearer’s involvement as patron of the foundation will guarantee that the momentum is not lost.

Like Sir Bobby, Shearer is a Newcastle United and England legend, widely respected beyond the usual boundaries of football.

We wish him and Sir Bobby’s family well as they continue to fund the fight against a disease which touches us all.

Spitting mad

WE are delighted that Nick Griffin, leader of the British National Party, has been dragged kicking and screaming by the law into having to change the party’s constitution.

It means that the hateful BNP cannot go on breaking the Race Relations Act by restricting membership to “indigenous Caucasian” people.

We all know, of course, that it is the last thing party leaders really want to do but the alternative is to go on building up further legal costs fighting the ruling.

Existing members will hate it because it goes against everything they believe.

It is too much to hope that they will all resign in furious protest – and crawl under a large stone.