A FOOTBALL legend was on hand to present a cheque for more than £1,000 to Colchester General Hospital’s Neonatal Unit.

Terry Butcher, who played 77 times for England, appeared alongside first-time author Graeme Brooke of Manningtree who penned his memoirs of following Ipswich Town through thick and thin to raise cash for the vital service.

Mr Brooke has already sold more than 600 copies of Adventures of a Tractor Boy.

He decided to donate all the profits from the sales as daughter Leah, eight, spent the first four weeks of her life there are being born eight weeks premature, weighing just over four pounds.

“Ever since Leah was born, I’ve wanted to raise money for the Special Care Baby Unit to thank them for the care, support and dedication provided in those stressful times,” he said.

“What has amazed me is the high number of people I’ve come into contact with since I started raising money for the unit whose own children have been cared for there.”

Iconic centre half Butcher appears on the front cover of the book.

“It is great Graeme has been able to raise much-needed monies for a great charity as a result of his devotion in following Ipswich Town,” he said.