Two sister dailies are within “touching distance” of achieving a fundraising goal to build a statue of a former footballer.

HTFP reported in December how the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star were aiming to raise £110,000 for a permanent memorial made for former Ipswich Town and England player Kevin Beattie, pictured, who died the previous month at the age of 64.

The appeal is now just £5,000 away from its target after a number of big donations.

An anonymous £5,000 pledge last week followed a total of £6,488 given by supporters in a bucket collection before Town’s match against Sunderland – which the club’s owner Marcus Evans then matched.

Brad Jones, editor of the EADT and Ipswich Star, said in a message to readers: “We are so grateful to Town fans for their generosity. The donations at the weekend – generously matched by Marcus Evans – had already given us a huge boost.

“And the separate £5,000 donation on Monday, along with other pledges, has left us within touching distance.

“Ipswich Town fans have, once again, been incredible.

“And when this amazing statue is unveiled next year, they will be able to say they played a part in making it happen.”