STARS from the world of showbusiness and sport have thrown their weight behind a Sale charity’s plan to build a school for autistic children.

Ex-Boyzone singer and Coronation Street star Keith Duffy - whose daughter Mia has the condition - and paralympic cyclist Rik Waddon are also urging Trafford people to get involved and help raise the £1m needed to build the facility in Manchester.

Various events are planned under the banner of the Hearts and Minds Challenge, in a bid to build a centre that will initially school 25 3-11 year olds.

Pupils will receive top class support - each class will contain five youngsters, one teacher and two teaching assistants.

Ian McGrath, founder of Hearts and Minds said: “It’s an ambitious project, but one we believe can be delivered. We have lots of different events coming up over the next 12 months. Our aim is to demonstrate that early intervention can be benefical to young people with autism.”

Events planned as part of the Hearts and Minds Challenge include a themed Mad Men Ball at Manchester’s Hilton Hotel on November 25 presented by Melanie Sykes, Keith Duffy and Manchester United star Paul Scholes. The Hearts and Minds charity would like to hear from anyone interested in supporting the event.

* Anyone interested in finding out more about the Hearts and Minds Challenge should visit www.heartsandmindschallenge.org