OLD school mates will square off against the cast of one of Britain’s biggest soaps in a charity football match.

Former teammates from Tottington High School’s football team will play actors from Hollyoaks to raise money for Alison Turner, a former pupil of the school in Laurel Street who is battling several serious illnesses.

Miss Turner’s family and her partner Nick Zabel are trying to raise more than £55,000 to fund life-saving treatment for her in Spain.

The charity game will be held at Bury FC’s home ground Gigg Lane on Sunday March 26, with kick off at 2pm.

Tickets are £5 for adults and £1 for children and concessions, people can only pay on the day at the turnstiles.

Mr Zabel, who went to Tottington High School where he met Miss Turner, said he is hoping around 1,000 people will make it to the stadium for the event.

The former schoolmates have labelled themselves the ‘Class of ’95-2000’ and are enjoying re-uniting for practice sessions.

“It’s really nice for us to get back together, but we haven’t played together for 15 years and we are in no fit state to be playing against a bunch of soap stars,” he said.

“The commitment from everyone has been brilliant, some lads are coming all the way from Preston for training and our goalkeeper is coming down from Scotland.”

At school with Mr Zabel, Miss Turner and their friends was former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, who now plays Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks.

Through that connection, the match has been organised between the soap’s crew – led by Nick Pickard who plays Tony Hutchinson and runs the football team – and the Class of 95-2000.

Mr Zabel said he wished to thank his friend Warren Bunting, who will be playing in the match, and who has taken the lead in organising the event.

Miss Turner, aged 32, from Tottington, has been plagued by illness from a young age and has endured seven years of invasive tests.

She was finally diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome type 3, a connective tissue disorder affecting her musculo-skeletal system, her blood vessels and heart, her gut, brain and urinary systems.

She also suffers from a life-threatening spinal disorder and is at risk of dislocating her neck.

Via a GoFundMe page, her family and Mr Zabel have raised £47,000 of a target of at least £55,000 to pay for specialist treatment in Barcelona which is not available on the NHS.

Mr Zabel said the support has been incredible. “The generosity of people has just been unbelievable,” added the 32-year-old teacher, also from Tottington.

“When we started we couldn’t imagine it, we never thought we would get near the target so quickly.” To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/alisfightforfusion