Five Gloucestershire businesses have donated to help get charity rugby team, Egg Chasers Rugby, off the ground.

Andy Jarrett decided to start the team, after finding out that his friend he had played with at county level had been diagnosed with the degenerative disease.

The veteran team will be playing all over the South West, with the aim of raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA). AJC Electrics, Gloucester Biltong, Go Travel, On Toast and Blue Bamboo have all dug deep been to fund the team's kit.

Andy said: "I've thought about starting a charity rugby team for a long time now, but after finding out about Mike Crisp's diagnosis, I needed to make the leap of faith. With thanks to the rugby family, it has really taken off. Mike is a Cheltenham rugby stalwart and now I want to both raise money for and knowledge of MNDA."

Within a few weeks of starting, local businesses showed their support.

"To say I was beyond myself with happiness would be putting it lightly, it really goes to show how giving people are and how rugby is at the centre of the community. I cannot thank our sponsors enough."

When it came to getting veteran players to put their boots back on, the response was almost instant.

"I now have a complement of players from all over the local area - Dowty, Old Richians and Stroud - to Cinderford, Pontypool and Bristol. I do not think it takes much to ask ex-players to lace up the boots again, they only need a little excuse."

The first match will be against Cheltenham, which will be a team built up by Mike Crisp himself.