A FOOTBALL legend returned to his old stomping ground to help break a fund-raising record for Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Paul McGrath helped set a record for the most amount of money ever raised by football fans during a Premier League match, with £7,500 being raised at Villa Park earlier this month.

Acorns, which has a hospice in Bath Road, Worcester, asked the Aston Villa fans’ favourite to take to the pitch at half-time and get the crowd to use their mobile phones to donate by text.

Every penny donated went directly to the charity and the service also allowed people to claim Gift Aid to increase their donation and help Acorns raise even more money.

Mr McGrath said: “‘I was blown away by the reception I got from the fans at Villa Park and want to thank them all for welcoming me back and supporting such a great cause”

Elinor Eustace, corporate partnerships manager for Acorns, said: “This is a fantastic amount – enough to run a 10-bed hospice, providing care and support for local life-limited children, for a day.

“It was so exciting to be part of setting a record and to see the crowd’s reaction to Paul McGrath being back at Villa Park.”

It costs more than £8 million a year to run Acorns’ three hospices, which are currently caring for more than 600 children.

Visit the charity’s website at acorns.org.uk for more information.