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Paul Gascoigne last night said how Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson helped save his life. The former England and Tottenham star returned to the UK on Saturday after five weeks at an Arizona rehab clinic.  As part of Gascoigne’s treatment for alcoholism, the 45-year-old was played a DVD message from friends and family, including the United boss.

Gascoigne, who has battled with a drink problem for years, told how desperate pleas from his loved ones helped drag him back from the brink of death as his body began to shut down when in withdrawal. He told The Sun in an exclusive interview: ‘I was blown away watching people like Sir Alex telling me to stay strong and pull through. ‘Sir Alex reminded me I’m a fighter. He said he was speaking on behalf of all United players and everyone was rooting for me. ‘ United’s 71-year-old manager was not the only member of the football community to wish Gascoigne a speedy return to health.

As well as Gascoigne’s distraught mother, Carol, the likes of Wayne Rooney and England manager Roy Hodgson also recorded messages for him. 'Wayne Rooney was filmed telling me to get better soon. Roy Hodgson, the England manager, told me the entire squad was thinking of me and supporting me. 'He said I was invited to come to the next England game and join the players in the dressing room before and after the match. It all means so much to me.'

On his return to the UK, Gascoigne, who underwent his detox at the Cottonwood Clinic, at one stage believed he was going to die during his time in America. Doctors said it was the worst detox they had ever seen when the shock of giving up alcohol sent his body into seizure, Gascoigne said. He said he woke up in intensive care strapped to the bed to stop tubes from falling out of his arms and was repeatedly injected.

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This tiny seaside village is the closest place in Britain to the French coast, just 18 miles from Calais. But residents and tourists in St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, Kent, have been left fuming after French mobile phone firms began charging users of the local beach as if they were the other side of the Channel. Locals in the resort, which sits on top of the famous chalk-covered white cliffs of Dover, are now being forced to turn off their mobiles to avoid being hit with massive international roaming charges.

People in the area said they cannot walk below the iconic cliffs with their phones in tow without being sent a message saying 'Welcome to France', with a list of hiked-up charges. These start at 28p to make a call, 7.9p to receive one and 8.9p to send a text, which is up to four times the price of a normal English network.

Pat Kelly, 62, of nearby Martin-Mill, Kent, said: ‘You switch on your phone and it says “Welcome to France”. I avoid the cliff area now because of the problem. Everyone has good cause to be angry about it and something needs to be done. Visitors to the area are unaware of it and are shocked when their bills come in.’

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