PICTURE GALLERY: Celebrity football game in Northampton raises thousands for Wellingborough charity

Chris and Samantha Curry set up the Wellingborough-based charity in 2013 after the death of their five-year-old daughter Niamh, who died battling neuroblastoma.

The match ended 5-3 Shayne Ward, Katie Price and Kerry Katona’s team, who triumphed over Graham and Alan Carr’s side.

Eastenders actors Dean Gaffney and Matt Lapinskas, The Only Way is Essex’s Dan Osborne, So Solid Crew member MC Harvey and Love Island’s Alex Beattie were all on the scoresheet.

“It was a really great day. All the celebrities were on amazing form and spent time with fans afterwards,” said Chris, who doesn’t yet know the total amount raised for the charity but with 3,700 plus fans attending the match, ticket sales alone will have generated more than £30,000.

“The money that we have raised is amazing but to have the celebrities talking and tweeting about the charity and raising awareness is more important to us.”

Winning captain Shayne Ward was on ITV this morning proudly showing off the trophy as he told Lorraine all about the Niamh’s Next Step.

Chris said he is now looking to build on the success of the match and hopes to organise bigger events with bigger crowd.

“Thank you to everybody who came,” he said.

“Without people buying tickets and supporting we couldn’t do what we do.”

Other celebrities to feature on the day included footballers Peter Beardsley, Paul Konchesky and Jamie O’Hara, sports broadcaster Jim Rosenthal, whose actor son Tom lined up at right-back for Shayne Ward’s team, X-Factor winner Sam Bailey, breakfast show host Gavin Ramjuan, Calum Best, Jake Wood, Terry Alderton, Tony Discipline, James Hill and Daniel Osborne.

For more information on Niamh’s Next Step visit nns.org.uk.