A FATHER today paid tribute to friends of his cancer-victim son for raising thousands of pounds in his memory.

Jack Hollingworth said he was immensely touched by the turnout at a charity football match held in Longridge to raise money in memory of son Andrew, 37, who died after fighting the killer cancer for more than a year.

Now retired newsagent Jack intends to pick up the fund-raising baton himself, with a charity golf day and dinner in Longridge next week - complete with a pair of soccer star Ruud Van Nistelrooy's football boots to give away.

More than £2,000 was raised when friends of Andrew, who lived in Longridge, arranged a football match at the town's football club.

The success of the event - which drew a crowd of 400 people - means that his friends now hope to make it an annual event.

Many of those who attended were also at Andrew's wedding, just before Christmas. Days later, they were back at St Lawrence's Church in the town for his funeral.

He had married 22-year-old Langho woman Kirsty Astley, who he had met while working as a retail operations adviser for Spar stores.

Kirsty, a former Clitheroe Royal Grammar School student, was working in the Langho shop while studying for a nursing degree.

Jack said: "I always knew he was a popular lad but seeing all those people turn out for a charity event in his memory was very emotional, moving and unbelievable.

"People were putting £10 and £20 notes into collection boxes. It was wonderful to see how highly thought of he was."

Money from the event is being split between Leukaemia Research and Ward 27 of the Manchester Royal Hospital, where Andrew was treated.

Half of the money from a golf day being held on June 11 will go to the charities being supported in Andrew's memory, with the rest going to other groups chosen by another of the organisers.