Budding footballers raised hundreds of pounds for a foodbank and sports equipment by cleaning up city streets.

The 10 youngsters from Norwich’s Heigham Park Rangers U9s team picked up bags of rubbish in small groups from the Recreation Road Infant School to Eaton Park after a Norfolk FA match on October 17.

It raised just over £1,000 and made up for money the club missed out on from its annual fete which was cancelled because of coronavirus.

Bozenka Tavner, 30, from Muriel Road in Norwich, whose eight-year-old son Travis was involved, said: “The children have been learning a lot about the environment. The amount of disposable face masks we picked up was disgusting. We are super proud of the boys. They are great on the pitch and a lovely bunch off the pitch.”

The majority of the money will go towards a subs bench and training tops for the U9s team as well as the main club and £250 will go to the Norwich FoodHub community interest company, which collects excess food and redistributes it to people in need.