A FOOTBALL fan has raised nearly £9,000 for research into Motor Neurone Disease after his father was struck down by the devastating condition.

Peter Carson, aged 30, staged a special match at the Reebok Stadium on May 4, scoring the winning goal, before hosting a charity auction afterwards.

Then, on May 25, Mr Carson and girlfriend Vikki Hodkinson travelled to Salisbury to take part in a sky dive with dozens of other fundraisers for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND).

More than 30 supporters took the 15,000-feet plunge along with Mr Carson and are set to break the £50,000 fundraising barrier as a group.

Mr Carson’s father Mick, aged 53, has Motor Neurone Disease, a degenerative condition which stops people controlling their muscle movements.

He needs round-the-clock care from medical prof-essionals and his wife Angela as he cannot move, eat, cough or breathe without assistance.

Because his condition stops him retaining heat, he rarely leaves his house in Wesley Street, Westhoughton, but he did make it out to watch the Reebok match.

Mr Carson said: “The match went down really well. As luck would have it I ended up getting the winning goal and the game ended 2-1. It was a fantastic moment.”

All 30 players paid £100 to take part and 450 people bought tickets, which enabled Mr Carson to cover the £4,000 Wanderers charged for use of the stadium.

More money was raised at the auction at Horwich RMI, where a signed boxing glove from Ricky Hatton and some Manchester United memor-abilia were among the lots on offer.

Mr Carson and Miss Hodkinson have raised nearly £13,000 for MND. They were greeted by television presenter Zoe Ball after their latest event, the sky dive.

Miss Hodkinson said: “I’m afraid of heights and I was terrified before but I want to go back up and do it again now.”

Miss Hodkinson has arranged a fundraising cycle from London to Paris next year with a friend whose father has been diagnosed with MND.

To donate visit justgiving.com/peteandvikki