Top Manchester United stars are more than happy to be taken for a ride - by city cabbies and the Manchester Evening News.

The North's leading paper and black cab drivers have got together to help carry the 'Christie's' appeal on the final lap of its journey towards £25 million. The city's famous cancer centre is devoting the money to ground-breaking research, exciting new patient facilities and the development of more effective and 'kinder' cancer treatments.

Currently the hospital has clocked up a metered £22m. So Red's idols Andy Cole, Raimond van der Gouw, Gary and Phil Neville readily hailed the new look taxis realising they will really get Christie's message out on the streets of Greater Manchester and surrounding districts.

So far eight cabbies have had their cab sides and boots emblazoned for the appeal, under sponsorship from the MEN, who have also made a substantial donation to the hospital's centenary fund. A ninth cab will shortly become available. The attention grabbing vinyls feature Christie's familiar purple and deep pink colours, the hospital's free phone and donation number 0500 557055 plus the internet log-on for the appeal

The designs, created by advertising agency McCann-Erickson, evolved under free technical advice from Mann & Overton, and the heftily discounted vinyls were made and fitted by Signs Express of Trafford Park.

"The cabs look terrific, really eye catching," said Christie's projects manager Paul Bailey. "We owe much - yet again - to Manchester United and the MEN, as well as to our many professional supporters on this project. But without the goodwill of the taxi owners this would not have happened.