FUNDRAISERS who plan to put their best foot forward and join a charity walk could find themselves pounding the pavement next to a Premiership star after Blackburn Rovers pledged a star player would kick off event.

Rovers is to support the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Magic Eye Appeal by sending a player to start the Blackburn leg of the walk.

But the Ewood Park club today remained tight lipped about the identity of the player.

The team's commercial director Ken Beamish today said "a player will be there."

More than 1,000 people have already pledged their support for six sponsored 10-mile walks around East Lancashire.

With two weeks to go, the Magic Eye event is set to be one of the biggest fundraisers of the year.

Mr Beamish said: "It is difficult to know who will be available until nearer the time.

"Unfortunately the international players will be away but we will definitely send down at least one player as this is a very worthy cause."

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph Appeal hopes to raise £200,000 for an endoscopic ultrasound scanner.

The state-of-the-art equipment will help cancer sufferers from across the county with the quicker diagnosis of stomach and oesophagus cancer.

Ian Woolley, the walk co-ordinator, said: "We are delighted to have broken the 1,000 barrier and that is great news for the success of the walk.

"I hope lots more people will enter and maybe we can get to 2,000 on the start line.

"There is always a terrific atmosphere on these events and I know we can raise a lot of money for this equipment!"

To register on any of the walks, call the hotline on 01254 293634.