Celebs flock to Walsall to smile for Joel at charity match - with pictures and video
Thousands of people flocked to the Banks's Stadium to watch stars of music, modelling and TV take to the pitch for a charity football match.
The star-studded event raised money for the Smile for Joel and Compton Hospice charities, with glamour model Katie Price and X Factor winner Shayne Ward taking charge of the two sides on Saturday.
Founder of Smile for Joel, Suzy Richards, spoke of how she was overwhelmed by the support she and her family had received organising the fundraising fixture.
She emotionally thanked players before kick-off after a short video was played to explain more about the charity set up in memory of her 19-year-old son Joel Richards.
Joel was killed alongside his uncle Adrian Evans, grandfather Patrick Evans and 35 others in a terror attack in Sousse, Tunisia in 2015.
WATCH: Celebs out in force for fundraiser in Walsall:
Suzy said: "The support has been fantastic since day one. The ripples of what happened have effected so many people. I just cannot thank everyone enough for their support. Lots of money has been raised and the total amount will be revealed next week."
She added: "Everyday for us is still hard as you can imagine. But we have to try and get through it the best we can. We went from a family of six to a family of three just by going on holiday.
"It's tough, but we look after each other. It is an honour that Owen has been asked to be a referee today, too."
Owen, 17, took charge of the first half of the game before stepping in to play in the second period.
He said: "Its been a brilliant atmosphere and is really heart-warming to see the amount of people who have come to show their support. It is not often that we get celebrities like this here in Walsall."
Reality TV personalities Liam Gatsby and James 'Arg' Argent from The Only Way is Essex and Austin Armacost from Celebrity Big Brother warmed up the crowd by posing for selfies and having a pre-match kick about. The crowd then erupted as the Compton Wolves and Smiling Saddlers sides ran out onto the Walsall pitch.
And, although she arrived nearly an hour late flanked by a reality TV crew, Katie Price was still eager to please fans with fighting talk for her Saddlers team.
"Never underestimate the Pricey, we're here to win today," she told host Dicky Dodd before watching her side triumph 6-5.
Corrie actor and singer Shayne Ward was in charge of the opposing team, assisted by Steps star Lee Latchford-Evans.
Other famous names included the likes of Eastenders actors Jake Wood and Dean Gaffney, Jimmy Constable from boy band 911, Youtubers Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch from the F2Freestylers channel, former Wolves player Jamie O'Hara and Calum Best.
Best said: "Kevin Cooper, who is the organiser of the matches, asked me to play and now this is about my twentieth charity game I have done with him.
"Today is a very special day for two very special charities. All the boys come along and there is no ego about it but everyone is just here for the cause."
O'Hara couldn't play in the match due to a torn hamstring but said he still wanted to come out and show his support.
He said: "To be involved in a charity match is great and something that I wanted to do.
"Unfortunately I can't play because of my injury from the end of last season, but it will still be a good laugh to see everyone. The main thing is that there has been a lot of money made and a good turnout."
Tickets initially went on sale only for the HomeServe stand but demand was so great they also opened up the lower tier of the Tile Choice stand, and both sold out.
