WATCHING a family member’s life deteriorate as a terminal illness takes hold is a devastating process.

So when Peter Carson and his partner Vikki Hodkinson found out that his father, 54-year-old Michael, had motor neurone disease they decided not just to sit by and watch it happen.

Instead they set themselves the target of raising £8,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) – a target they smashed with just one event.

“In 2007 my father-in-law-to-be was diagnosed with MND. He started with the loss of use in one leg, slowly followed by the other,” said 29-year-old Vikki, from Leigh.

“He now is on a ventilator 24/7 and fed by a peg. He can only slightly nod his head and can only say one word answers.

“Over the past 14 months, we have done several things for MND, including bag packing and a murder mystery night. I gave up chocolate, sweets and alcohol for all of January, and I cut 13 inches off my hair.”

The couple were amazed when they raised more than their £8,000 target by holding a charity football match at the Reebok Stadium.

“Peter’s father rarely goes out of the house, so it took it out of him coming to the full event but he loved it. And he was smiling nearly all day,” said Vikki.

“The MND Fighters were winning 1-0 at half time, but the Nuerone Warriors equalised shortly into the second half.

“But then Pete scored the winning goal for the Fighters, which was a perfect end to the game for his dad.”

The couple jumped out of a plane at the weekend and are hosting a ladies’ night at Leigh Miners on June 20, at 7.30pm.

For tickets, call Vikki on 07795 108460, or visit www.justgiving.com/peteandvikki to donate.