SHAMELESS stars Rebecca Atkinson and Ben Batt have helped raise more than £30,000 for the Christie cancer charity.

They joined around 100 students in the city centre and at the United home game against Bolton.

The actors, who play landlady Karen Maguire and newcomer Joe Pritchard, took part in the charity's biggest ever bucket collection.

The collection marked the finale of Christie's Week during which hundreds of fundraising events were held throughout the region including a 12-hour golf marathon and a balloon race.

Ex-Hollyoaks actress Gemma Atkinson, from Bury, and Coronation Street's Ryan Thomas, who plays Jason Grimshaw, also visited the Christie as part of the fundraising week.

Generous

Rebecca said: "The Christie is a charity very close to my heart. It was great to see first hand just how generous the people of the north west are and it is fantastic to raise so much money in a week."

And Toni Kennedy, co-ordinator of the Christie's Week events, said: "Huge thanks must go to Rebecca and Ben for giving up their time to raise money for our charity."