Football fans raise £300,000 for starving Africans

A CHARITY football match featuring a Hollywood star, several comedians and some legendary players helped raise £300,000 for famine victims in east Africa.

The game between Celtic and Manchester United "legends" ended 5-2 on Tuesday night, with Parkhead hero Henrik Larsson scoring a hat-trick for the Glasgow club.

A 55,000-strong crowd watched the game at Celtic Park, arranged as a tribute to former Celtic defender John Kennedy who had to retire because of injury. Proceeds from the game will go to Oxfam's east Africa charity appeal.

Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill took charge of the home team which saw actor Gerard Butler line up alongside former players Larsson, John Hartson, Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon, the current team boss.

Head of Oxfam Scotland Judith Robertson said: "I want to thank everyone who played in, organised or simply came along to watch the match.

"It was a fantastic night's entertainment, and a reminder of the real difference football can make in the world.

"People have been really generous, and 300,000 will make a real difference to families living in east Africa, providing the things it is difficult sometimes to imagine ever living without: water, food and shelter."