Rival football fans try and find disabled fan's beloved flag lost at The Hawthorns

After hearing the plight of distraught fan Matthew Devinett, who has taken his flag around grounds across the country, the word has been put out on social media to find it.

Jim Richards, a Villa fan, asked all his West Bromwich Albion supporting friends if they could help find the flag.

His post on Facebook was shared more than 700 times in a matter of hours as Albion fans set about trying to find the distinctive flag.

He posted a picture of the owner with the flag, and asked: "Any of the Albion lads and lasses that could help with reuniting the young lad to the left with his flag would very much appreciated, he has Down’s Syndrome and the flag means the world to him. It was lost at the game on Sunday."

He told the Express and Star: "Football fans always get a bad press but when it comes down to it we will do anything for one another when something like this happens.

"This flag means so much to Matthew, it has incredible sentimental value and it would be great if we could find it."

Cardiff drew 1-1 at The Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon and the last Matthew can remember seeing of it was in the away end.

Jim said: "I'm hoping it was just left somewhere and we find it."

However, big-hearted Albion fans have already promised to buy Matthew a new flag if it is not found. The flag which has Cardiff City Football Club's crest and "Matthew is the Captain of Our Ship" written on it.

Snarka Whitehouse, who has followed Albion and England across the world, said: "We will all chip in for a new one, it is the least we can do, the Cardiff lads looked after us when we went to see Tommy Langford fight down there."

England kitman and WBA fanatic Pat Frost retweeted Jim's plea and it was shared more than 100 times with Supporter Art UK seeing the tweet and immediately offering help.

The company tweeted: "If anyone close to the lad can email the graphic, along with size in mts and his address to contact@supporters-uk.com we will produce another one for him."

However, some people did give Matthew and Jim false hope by pretending the flag had been found.