THE appeal fund to help injured rugby league player Danny Scott has been given a staggering £25,000.

The money was raised at a charity event in Leeds and was hailed today as "magnificent gesture".

It could now be used to buy a specialist vehicle for Danny or a high-tech wheelchair.

The gift owes much to the contacts of Huddersfield Gaelic Athletic Association secretary Ollie Walsh with the Irish Centre in Leeds.

Each year, Leeds businessman Kevin Rouse organises a large fundraising dinner, with the help of the Irish Centre.

People at the centre got to know about Danny's plight thanks to Mr Walsh, whose Gaelic football team regularly play matches against Leeds teams.

Mr Rouse decided to allocate £25,000 of the £38,000 raised at the dinner to The Danny Scott Appeal Fund.

Another £5,000 is going to the unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, where Danny was cared for.

He received severe injuries while playing for the Moldgreen club.

Jill Sykes, of the appeal fund, said: "This is simply fantastic. Staggering.

"This money will make so much difference to Danny's life. It is magnificent."

Mrs Sykes said sometimes Danny had to rely on a borrowed vehicle which belongs to a disabled person to enable him to get out.

Buying his own transport would make it so much easier for his family.

Another option would be to look at buying a highly specialised wheelchair, which Danny could operate with his chin.

But Mrs Sykes said this kind of equipment was very expensive - about £20,000.

Mr Walsh said the Huddersfield Gaelic Athletic Association had contacted Irish football teams across the country about Danny's plight - and they had responded by giving £6,000.

He added: "Kevin Rouse organises this event at the Irish Centre in Leeds every year and it is massive.

"Tickets are £30 a head and about 300-400 people usually go. Raffles alone make thousands of pounds.

"When he said they had decided to choose Danny's fund to benefit I said that whatever we got we'd be grateful for.

"I couldn't believe it when he handed me a cheque for £25,000."