AROUND £2,000 was raised at the third annual Richard Abbott Memorial Football Tournament held on Sheppey.

The Tudor team lifted the Memorial Trophy when the Islanders turned out to remember a much-loved local sportsman.

Richard Abbott was struck down in his prime with Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) in March 2002, aged just 34, leaving a widow, twin sons and a daughter.

Widow Maria said she was grateful to all who supported the event, with all the money raised going towards a trust fund for the charity SADS/UK.

She said: “It was brilliant, really good. It was surprising because it is such a small island, but a lot of people knew him and the people all rallied around."

Maria has managed the Sheerness Steel under-16s for the last three years and saw her side, which included her sons Aaron and James, knocked out of the competition in the early stages.

The results were of secondary importance, though, with The Tudor taking the honours, beating Warden Bay in the final.

Other competitors were Tonic, the Sheerness Steel Under-16s, Sheerness East team and the Steel Mill Men.

Donations came in from many of the shops around the area, and there was also a £300 donation towards the fund from the Sheppey Sunday League. Organisers hoped to raise the profile of SADS particularly in the North Kent area and to start a trust fund to provide heart monitors to detect this condition.