EXUBERANT footballer John Barnes is on cloud nine after World readers helped him to fulfil his lifelong goal.

A dream has come true for the Runcorn goalie - to train with Real Madrid legends in the famous Bernabeu Stadium.

He was the only UK contestant competing with entrants from all over the world in the Movistar Real Madrid Challenge.

After his appeal appeared in our paper, Twitter and Facebook feeds, he soared to the top, with a staggering 22,765 points.

Liverpool fan John, aged 26, of Hallwood Park, said: “I am absolutely speechless. When it went out on the World Twitter feed I could see it going up in bundles of 60 points. it really made a difference.

“The help from the community was first class. I couldn’t have done it on my own.”

The 02 sales adviser will be training in a football clinic with the first team and playing at the stadium with Spanish soccer legends.

He flies out on March 11 for two days.

John, known as Peanut, said: “I was competing against people in Dubai, Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia.

“I don’t know yet which legend I’ll be playing with but I hope it’s Zinedine Zidane.”