CRICKET legend
Sir Ian Botham
hit the crowds for six in Cheshire today - but this time it was with his golfing antics with a host of celebrity pals.
The newly-knighted sportsman pulled in a host of his star mates to tee off at Mere Golf and Country Club - raising thousands of pounds for
Leukeamia Research
in the process.
And former cricket all-rounder Sir Ian proved he's a big hitter in golf too, stunning the crowd as he teed off the event - with a thwack so hard it left spectators gasping.
"Beefy" Botham has been arranging a host of the golfing days across Europe to raise millions for the cancer charity fund, and we made sure the sun was shining just for Beefy at his only north west fixture of the tournament yesterday, sponsored by Qire and backed by the Manchester Evening News.
He and celebs including football hero
Sir Bobby Charlton, Minder star
Dennis Waterman, former Corrie and Where The Heart is actor
Phil Middlemiss and Sunderland football boss
Niall Quinn
joined a host of teams of amateur golfers from north west businesses as they competed to become top dog on the course.
Sir Ian's sporting son
Liam also joined in the event - cutting quite a dash in a vibrant red and black Nike outfit.
Dancing
Meanwhile snooker legend
Willie Thorne
dashed to the golf day in between rehearsals for the new series of BBC celebrity dance show Strictly Come Dancing.
He said: "I'm one of those people who really have never danced before in their life. Even on my wedding day it was just one smoochy dance and that was it.
"I'm a little bit concerned I'm going to be the first person to fall over live on the show, I really do have two left feet."
See more pictures from the event via the link above and read the Botham interview see tomorrow's M.E.N. sport.
Comments
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A good cause. I really can't think of anything negative to say about this event.
Great day, it was truly a Superb Function.Well done Ian and the organisers, shame some of the so called names failed to show?
A good day out, although half of the 'celebrities' who were confirmed as attending didn't show up.
The better known celebrities who were there (Bobby Charlton, Robert Powell, Wille Thorn, Dennis Waterman, Stan Boardman and Sir Ian Botham) were all charming and gracious and didn't mind signing autographs and having photos taken at all.
The celebrities who didn't show up were mainly footballers, who, we're told, pulled out in order to attend a different charity event the following day (the poor loves couldn't handle two events in the same weekend, boohoo!) They were replaced with D-list 'celebrities'
I believe the celebrities who failed to show should be fined. After all, it was a charity event and the public were turning up and paying to see them - and they couldn't be bothered showing up. It's a good job the entrance fee was going to charity or I would have asked for my money back!