Soap actors join charity football event

Stars from Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Waterloo Road and BBC Three comedy Ideal are to take part in a celebrity football tournament to raise money for charity, it has been announced.

The event, which is to be hosted by Auf Wiedersehen, Pet star Tim Healey, is taking place tomorrow from 11.30am at Manchester's Regional Athletics Arena in aid of Sport Relief.

Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster), Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw), Andy Whyment (Kirk Sutherland) and Craig Gazey (Graeme Proctor) are among the Weatherfield actors who have signed up for the challenge.

Meanwhile, Emmerdale will be represented by Kelvin Fletcher (Andy Sugden), Adam Thomas (Adam Barton), Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy), James Hooton (Sam Dingle) and Lyndon Ogbourne (Nathan Wylde).

Johnny Vegas will be joined by Ideal co-stars Ryan Pope (Paul Nevin) and Michael Kofi (Xavier), while others who will be putting on their football boots include Waterloo Road's William Ash (Chris Mead), Tom Milner (Paul Langley), Dean Smith (Phillip Ryan), William Rush (Josh Stevenson), Jack McMullen (Finn Sharkey), Ben Ryan Davies (Ronan Burley) and Lucien Laviscount (Jonah Kirby).

Many of the participants' TV colleagues are also expected to be in attendance to show their support on the day, and ex-footballers John Barnes, Dean Windass and Richard Edghill will be taking on the role of celebrity managers.

Tickets for the event cost £10 and will be available to buy via Ticketline until 9am tomorrow.