ENGLAND footballer Phil Neville has asked Asda to raise funds for a charity close to his heart.

The appeal by the Crawshawbooth footballer aims to raise £20m to support the New Children's Hospital, which is due to open next year in central Manchester alongside St Mary's Royal Infirmary.

It will provide state-of-the-art care for children and young people throughout the North West.

The Asda Foundation has already donated £20,000 Phil and his wife Julie are patrons of the charity. They became involved after their daughter Isabella was born 10 weeks prematurely at St Mary's in 2004.

Since then they have been involved in a number of fund raising events for the hospital, where Isabella has also been treated for cerebral palsy.

In November last year, Everton captain Phil launched "Not Bothered Day", where children paid £1 to ditch their school uniforms.

Six months earlier the couple organised an online auction, where celebrities such as Jude Law, Kate Moss and the Beckhams donated personal items.

Asda's Burnley store is one of 60 across the region getting behind the hospital Appeal.