COMEDIAN Gareth Hale has been presented with a signed Colchester United shirt which will be put up for sale in a charity auction.

The actor, who starred with Norman Pace in Hale & Pace, met with members of the U’s first team at the Weston Homes Stadium yesterday.

Mr Hale, who is touring the country as Onslow in a stage adaptation of Keeping Up Appearances, is collecting a football shirt at each town they perform in.

“At the end of the run all the football shirts that have been donated by the football clubs will be auctioned to raise money for the British Heart Foundation,” he said.

Keeping Up Appearances is showing at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester and will run until Saturday.

Tickets are priced from �9.50 to �20.50 and are available from the box office by phoning 01206 573948 or online at www.mercurytheatre.co.uk