WORLD Cup fever hits Tavistock this week with fundraising events to get everyone in the mood for the beautiful game. Betting shop Betfred is taking bets on England winning the World Cup, with odds of 15-2, and has provided a free bet of £50 to raise money for local teenager Nicola Bitton who lost her leg in a recent accident. The shop is joining forces with the Ordulph Arms, which has been supporting the charity ?Project Leg? ? should England be victorious, £425 will go into the fund to buy Nicola a hi-spec prosthetic leg. And there is the chance to buy a personally signed World Cup 1966 football shirt. The red shirt could fetch more than £1,000 at an auction at King?s on Saturday (June 10), raising funds for a new children?s theatre club. The shirt, signed by nine players from the 1966 England squad, including hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst, has a reserve price of £750. Money raised will go to the Tavistock Children?s Theatre Club to get it off the ground and pay for costumes, props and microphones for the club?s show at the Wharf ? The Curious Quest for the Sandman?s Sand. Other items for sale include a Mary Poppins DVD signed by Julie Andrews, a James Bond 007 DVD signed by Sean Connery and original photographs personally signed by John Travolta and Tom Jones. All the items come with a certificate of authenticity. The reserve price is the amount of money the club has to return to the company which supplied the items ? anything over the reserve price is the club?s to keep. Tickets cost £2 and £1 for the under 18s and the event kicks off at 7pm. A buffet and entertainment is provided. To reserve tickets call 01822 610649 or 07736 312936. Football fans will be able to watch the month-long World Cup, which starts on Friday, in many Tavistock pubs, including the Ordulph Arms and the Cornish Arms. Excitement is building as fans pin their hopes on England to win the title. Manager of the Cornish Arms Alan Jones said it was quiet at the moment but once England starting playing, football fever would grip the public. He said: ?Once the cup starts everyone will get excited ? and as long as England stays in we should get a good crowd. ?This place will soon fill up because it is not that big, so I would advise people to get here early.? England?s first group B game against Paraguay kicks off on Saturday at 2pm, followed by the match against Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday at 5pm.
