COLCHESTER United legend Lomana Lua Lua has donated £500 to help a family pay for their son’s treatment.

The former U’s striker, who also played in the Premier League for Newcastle and Portsmouth, handed over the cash to the Alfie’s Vision appeal.

The appeal is raising money to pay for treatment for Alfie Leggett, two, who was born with Norrie’s Disease, a rare genetic disorder which only affects boys.

His parents, Tom and Kelly, hope to raise £20,000 which will be used to treat the incurable disease.

As well as the donation, U’s mad dad Tom was also given eight Colchester United shirts signed by the Congolese striker to auction off.

And it is all thanks to four fellow fans -Andrew Hippisley, Steve Wojtkiw, Daniel Parslow and Christopher Ludlow - who attended a signing session with the 36-year-old in London.

Tom, of The Walk, in Eight Ash Green, said: “It was an incredible gesture, we really wouldn’t have expected anything like it at all.

“People have just been so good - it’s getting so hard to say thank you to people because the phrase almost loses its meaning.”

The foursome paid £400 to attend an open day of the Lua Lua Foundation, a charity set up by the former U’s wonderkid to help children in Africa, in London.

While there, they told the international player about the appeal.

They had also clubbed together to buy the shirts, which are now being auctioned off for Alfie.

Mr Hippisley said: “We actually checked in with them before we went down to see if any of signing might be possible and gave them a little information on Alfie.

“But when we were speaking to him about Alfie, you could see it was really affecting him.

“We actually stayed in touch after and he’d asked for more information on Alfie, so we gave it and then all of a sudden this donation appeared on the website.”

The 27-year-old, who works in TV and film, added: “It wasn’t a bad result for what we effectively are - a bunch of chancers really.

“We’re just really glad to be able to help.”

Tom, 36, has single-handedly has already raised tens of thousands of pounds for Alfie by running from Colchester to Southend as well as Cambridge.

The Ford worker also completed a marathon around the pitch at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.