Wanderers' Premiership stars are giving the shirts off their backs to support the campaign to raise funds for the families of the firefighters killed in the World Trade Centre tragedy.

In conjunction with the Bolton Evening News, the Bolton players are staging their own public auction to boost the appeal launched by the Greater Manchester County Fire Service.

They want readers to dig deep in support of the dependants of the New York Fire Service, whose heroism cost them their lives in the September 11 atrocities.

The bidding starts today on six individual lots donated by the Wanderers' squad - signed shirts from top scorer Michael Ricketts, skipper Gudni Bergsson, record signing Dean Holdsworth and legendary Scotland international, Colin Hendry, plus two pairs of tickets for the Premiership clash with Newcastle United at the Reebok on Saturday, October 13.

"The firefighters who lost their lives were true heroes," Holdsworth said as he opened the bidding today, "and we feel we should be doing all we can to boost the fund.

"We're working closely with the boys at Horwich Fire Station and have made our own donations. The auction is a way of raising even more cash and we hope the Bolton Evening News readers will respond in a big way."

Telephone bids for the various lots can be made to the BEN Sports Desk (01204) 361268 or by post - including name, address and daytime telephone number - to "Wanderers Auction", Sports Desk, Bolton Evening News, Newspaper House, Churchgate, Bolton BL1 1DE. Each day's leading bids will be printed in the BEN and no bids will be taken after 2pm on Thursday, Oct 11.