A HAMPSHIRE charity is set to welcome two of English rugby’s biggest stars in a fundraising lunch.

Wessex Heartbeat, a heart disease charity operating opposite Southampton General Hospital, has announced two rugby legends ahead of a lunch at the end of June.

The charity is targeting £35,000 for a new cardiac simulator software, that gives surgeons a chance to practice heart operations before a patient enters the theatre.

In a bid to help raise the funds, Wessex Heartbeat have announced two stars from the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 1971.

The side is the only team to have won a Test series in New Zealand. Two of those team members, Sir Gareth Edwards and David Duckham, will be visiting Southampton to take part in an open question session at the lunch.

Chief executive John Munro said: “We’re delighted to have the pair of them coming to see us. One of our members, Tim Titheridge has been with us for years, and he’s an ex-professional referee.

“He’s friends with them and they agreed to come to Southampton as part of our lunch. It’s all for a wonderful cause and it’s an incredible piece of kit.

“We have everything apart from the software needed to help run it, so we’re nearly there and the benefits are huge. If someone was operating on my heart I like to know they knew what they were doing!

“The pair will hold an open forum and answer questions that guests or fans might have. I’m a massive rugby fan myself so am looking forward to it!”

The lunch is being hosted at Southampton’s Novotel on June 30, a day before the British and Irish Lions take on the All Blacks.

Tickets are priced at £55, with a table of ten available for £500 each, with the lunch to begin at 11.45am.