He'll be watching today. We've pulled ourselves together because that's what Rob would have wanted. We are here for him..- MUM IRENE BURROW YESTERDAY

ROB Burrow left his parting gifts yesterday - his £6.8million centre for motor neurone disease and an inspirational message saying: "Dare to dream."

- PAUL BYRNE and MARK JEFFERIES

In a heartwrenching speech recorded before losing his battle with the debilitating condition at just 41, the rugby league legend told of his hope that a cure will be found.

And he said: "By the time that you watch this I will no longer be here."

Earlier in the day, work began on the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease, due to open next year.

Rob's parents, both 73, attended the ground-breaking ceremony.

Mum Irene said: "He'll be looking down on us and he'll be going 'thumbs up'. We're so proud to be here and it's amazing what you can achieve.

"This is what Rob would want and he'd be proud that we all pulled ourselves together and got the strength to come."

In BBC One's There's Only One Rob Burrow, the MND campaigner spoke using his eye-gaze machine, which allowed him to communicate vial computer by looking at words.

Rob said: "My final message to you is whatever your personal battle, be brave and face it.

"I am just a lad from Yorkshire who got to live out his dream of playing rugby league.

"As a father of three young children I would never want any family to have to go through what my family and children have since my diagnosis."

He told how he hoped he had left a mark on the disease, before signing off: "Rob Burrow, over and out."

His dad Geoff wiped away a tear as a minute's silence was held in his son's memory at the ceremony in Leeds.

HAPPINESS

Recalling Rob's sense of humour, he said: "He'll be up there, looking down saying 'shut up mother!'.

"But to have a care centre with his name on it, and not just the centre but having a breakthrough for people with MND so it's not the hell on earth, it's going to be a good future for MND sufferers, we'll make sure of it."