Hearts stars strut stuff for cancer charity

AFTER a long and difficult season they could be forgiven for wanting to enjoy a beer or two with their teammates.

But instead of putting their feet up, Hearts stars Robbie Neilson, Christophe Berra and Michael Stewart (pictured below with Lauren Quinn) will dash from their final league game against Gretna at Fir Park in Motherwell straight to the catwalk.

The trio are due to strut their stuff in kilts as part of a fashion show being organised by a young Edinburgh woman in aid of Cancer Research. Lauren Quinn, 20, hopes to collect £10,000 after losing her grandfather to lung cancer in November.

Norman Crichton, the father of well-known football physio Kenny, who has worked with Falkirk, Gretna and Queen of the South, died of lung cancer at the age of 70. Now defender Neilson, midfielder Stewart and club captain Berra are among those hoping to raise funds for research into the disease by taking part in the fashion show at Scottish Widows' Dalkeith Road offices.

Neilson, who is the Tynecastle club's longest serving player, said he hoped to get some more teammates involved in the event – despite it being on the final day of the season. He said: "It should be a good night and hopefully we can raise some money for charity.

"I'm looking forward to it and hopefully we can get some of the other guys involved. I think there will be a few that would love to get out on the catwalk."

Lauren, a receptionist for Scottish Widows, who has herself modelled at Harvey Nichols, has already raised £3500 by selling tickets for the May 17 event.

The date is her grandfather's birthday and a year to the day since he told family members of his cancer.

She said: "I was very close to my grandad and we're very close as a family. It was just the worst time. We went through hell. We approached the players through my uncle, who is a physio at Falkirk. They were happy to help."

The fashion show will see male and female models wear a series of outfits dating from the 1930s to the present day. The Hearts players are expected to be modelling kilts.

Richard Cowie, area volunteer manager for Cancer Research UK said: "We currently spend more than £6 million each year in Edinburgh alone on ground-breaking research. This vital research would not be possible without the support and generosity of people like Lauren."

• Anyone wishing to donate money can contact Lauren at [e-mail].