Rugby club’s big £25k try for ill Luke, 7

A PIECE of soccer history crumbles as bulldozers move in at the hotel where the World Cup heroes of 1966 stayed.

Hendon Hall – where the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton were snapped – is being partially demolished to make way for a care home.

Our picture was taken in North West London by Ian Needleman, who

STATELY PILE Rubble mound as demolition starts works in property. He said: “I was shocked. It is so sad. I remember going to the hotel restaurant with friends and reminiscing about the team staying there. It brings back so many memories of that magical afternoon at Wembley.”

England, who beat West Germany 4-2 in the final, played all their games at Wembley and made the five-mile journey from the hotel to the stadium on six occasions. The hotel, which closed last month, was originally 16th century Hendon Manor.

It became a hotel in 1911 and has also been a girls’ school and an RAF convalescence home.

That’s all in the past. And as TV’s Kenneth Wolstenholme almost said, they think it’s Hall over... it is now.

SURGERY

A RUGBY union club is raising funds for a sevenyear-old player who has lost both hands and legs after contracting meningococcal meningitis.

Luke Mortimer was struck down with the illness last month and his club Skipton RFC has already raised over £25,000.

The lad, who plays in the North Yorks club’s junior team, had surgery at Sheffield Children’s Hospital to remove both hands and his legs below the knee.

Coach Brian Brocksom said: “The family are coping the best they can but the challenges they face are huge.”

The referee plans to donate his match fees for this season to the family.

To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/john-firth

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