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Singer James Arthur, ex-Premier League footballer Jamie O’Hara and YouTuber Chunkz all turned out to raise money for a little girl with a rare form of cancer.
The fundraiser took place at Maidstone United FC and saw a celebrity side face a team of Nellie-Rose Culleton’s friends and family.
The five-year-old has been having treatment after she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma last year, a rare disease affecting around 100 children in the UK each year.
She began receiving a potentially life-saving cancer vaccine in the United States in August, thanks to donors raising more than £187,000 for her cause.
Friday’s game also saw TV personality Calum Best - son of late Manchester United legend George - appear for the celebrity team, as the final funds for her care were raised.
An incredible 1,554 people turned out for the match at the Gallagher Stadium, which was arranged by Nellie-Rose’s uncle Sean Lynes and won by Nellie’s Army on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
The final amount is still being counted, and will go into a fund managed by Solving Kids’ Cancer, which will receive any money left over after Nellie-Rose’s treatment, once she turns 18.
Mum Leighann Lynes said: “It went really well. The celebrities were brilliant.
“We all just had a really good time. Everyone took the time to talk to Nellie and there was a really, really good crowd as well.”
Patrick Lee, who was involved in the game for Nellie’s Army, said he was shocked at the amount of tickets which were sold in the weeks leading up to the match.
He said: “We were selling around 100 tickets a day. It was incredible.”
Nellie-Rose, who recently moved to Faversham from Maidstone, certainly wasn’t shy of speaking to the celebrities.
She went out onto the pitch prior to kick-off, and had an especially long chat with ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder O’Hara, now a TalkSport radio pundit.
Her mum said: “It was really overwhelming for her, actually.
“She had a really good chat with Jamie O’Hara but I think she was speaking to all of them, really.
“She had a whale of a time. I don’t think I spoke to her all night. She was very happy.”
The next stage of her treatment, part of a clinical trial which is hoped will prevent the cancer from coming back, is set to take place in New York on Tuesday, September 14. Three more trips are planned after that.
To support Nellie-Rose's campaign, click here.
