Football legends Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger teamed up with a regional daily in helping raise more than £200,000 for cancer charities.

The East Anglian Daily Times gave extensive coverage to an online auction and a glittering ball in memory of former Ipswich Town manager Sir Bobby Robson and Suffolk cancer campaigner Sally Balch.

The events raised more than £202,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Suffolk Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The incredible two-week online auction featured 180 lots, including items donated by David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Barcelona FC.

EADT editor Terry Hunt, a member of the organising committee, said: “It’s been an incredible initiative.

“The generous support from many of the biggest names in world football shows just how much Sir Bobby Robson was respected and loved throughout the game.”

Making the most money was the Ballon D’Or Trophy which Mourinho won as world coach of the year, which sold for £26,000.

The chance to meet Lionel Messi and the other Barcelona stars made £12,000, and the opportunity to field a team to play at Ipswich Town’s Portman Road ground raised £8,100.

As well as the Archant Suffolk owned title has given the campaign extensive coverage, other Archant newspapers have also published stories to boost the fund-raising