KINDHEARTED staff at an engineering company have helped out a footballing friend in his charity trek.

Fund-raiser Barry Calvert from Kearsley is set to cycle non-stop to Edinburgh in support of the Nathan Howarth Appeal.

The father-of-two, who works for engineering company Bellhouse Hartwell in Daisy Hill, used to play football with a team from Silcoms Limited in Farnworth.

Players from the Piggott Street company team offered to help Barry, aged 50, when they met at a reunion party.

Staff have collected more than £600 in sponsorship and from a football presentation evening.

Barry's bike was donated by Halfords, and his previous fundraising cycles, totalling 1,000 miles, have so far raised more than £2,000.

His efforts go towards helping out three-year-old Nathan of Marion Street, Great Lever, who suffers from fanconi anaemia. The youngster's parents, Denise Kelly and Mick Howarth, hope to raise £150,000 to send Nathan to America for specialist treatment.

Barry sets off for Scotland on July 27. To sponsor him telephone 07939-967317.