A VILLAGE football club hosted a charity event which saw over £400 raised for ill children.

Players, former players and families of Riding Mill FC all turned out to support the Children's Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital.

The event, which raised £425, saw current and former players battle it out in a game ending 6-4, with the goal of the game coming from centre back Liam Henderson, who strode out of defence and hit an unstoppable shot from 25-yards into the very top corner.

But it was young Aaron Kent who stole the show, the 13-year-old son of Mill left wing, back Rikki Kent, was substituted into the game with just 25 minutes left and scored a hat trick to win the game for his team.

"It's a strange time between Christmas and New Year because everyone seems to be in limbo a little bit", said Riding Mill manager and event organiser Mark Robinson. "I usually just go into hibernation, but after a difficult year with all the covid restrictions, I thought it was a good opportunity to get people out and do something active whilst raising some money for a good cause.

"The Children's Heart Unit Fund is a great local charity, who help so many families through such difficult times, so it's great to be able to support them".

The event also included children's penalty shootout competitions, won by Lacey Dodds, daughter of Mill all time top scorer Dale Dodds, and Charlie Conley, son of spectator Paul Conley. The adult penalty shootout was won by Mill striker James Reay.

The top prize draw, a ball boy/girl ticket and two accompanying adult tickets to Newcastle United vs Brighton & Hove Albion at St James Park was won by Lee Milton, who's 14-year-old son Taylor will be ball boy for the game.

Mark added: "I'd like to thank everyone who helped to make this event possible, my wife Alex, the football players and also Joe Mack from the Newcastle United Foundation, who kindly donated the top prize, without them this wouldn't have been possible.

"My original target was £200, so raising more than double that figure was fantastic to see and I'll be organising another event in the spring, where hopefully the weather will be better and more people can get involved".