NEWPORT'S rugby stars turned out for a charity match watched by hundreds of supporters in aid of little Amber Hartland last night.

The Cwmbran tot, aged one, suffers from a rare genetic disorder, Tay Sachs, which means she may not reach her fifth birthday.

A massive fundraising push is under way as her parents, Lesley and Nick, of Ellwood Path, Cwmbran, aim to raise between £250,000 and £500,000 to take their daughter to the USA for specialist treatment and, they hope, experimental drug treatment.

A charity rugby match between a Cwmbran XV and Newport RFC players was played in Cwmbran last night, ending up in a 80-5 win for Newport.

After the game Newport captain Simon Raiwalui, pictured with Amber, said as a father himself he found Amber's plight touching.

He said: "We are lucky we are in the position to support them. We wish them all the best. She's a lovely little girl."