Sir Bobby Robson charity: Fundraising total hits £10m

Sir Bobby died in 2009 after his fifth battle with cancer

The cancer research charity set up by Sir Bobby Robson has raised £10m, organisers have revealed.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation was established in 2008 while the former Newcastle, Ipswich and England manager was receiving treatment for the disease. He died the following year.

The charity initially had a £500,000 fundraising target.

His wife, Lady Robson, said she was "very grateful", labelling the milestone "absolutely unbelievable".

She said: "Starting the charity was literally something we talked about over the kitchen table. We'd been asked for help and this was Bob's way of giving it.

"I'm extremely proud of the work we fund and it meant the world to Bob. Every time we are able to fund something which will help make a difference to cancer patients, I think of him."

Bobby Robson managed Newcastle, Ipswich and England

'Matching team'

The foundation works with hospitals on Tyneside to develop new cancer treatments and has spent millions of pounds on equipment.

It is also set to contribute about £1m to fund four clinical research and nursing posts at the Newcastle University Centre for Childhood Cancer.

Sir Bobby's former oncologist Prof Ruth Plummer said: "Funding these new posts is a natural extension of the work the foundation already supports.

"We have an established clinical trials team for adults and we're building on that expertise and expanding to create a 'matching' team for children."