England bowler Graeme Swann has joined the committee of volunteers for Sir Bobby's Breakthrough Auction.

The late Sir Bobby Robson was honoured in a charitable foundation aimed at raising money for cancer treatment a year before the former Newcastle United manager passed away from the disease.

Swann has admitted that he "jumped at the chance" to join the committee for the new initiative, which consists of a Suffolk Ball, an online auction and text-to-win competition.

"Sir Bobby is an absolute hero of mine," Swann told The Chronicle. "My family is from the North East and I was brought up in a Newcastle United household and everything he did was cheered-on by my family.

"Unfortunately, I only ever met him near the end when Newcastle played Middlesbrough. I was sat just down from him and I was like a kid at Christmas."

Swann will now switch his attention back to the Ashes ahead of the fourth Test at Durham this week.