CELEBRITIES poured into Southend for a heated and intense football match to raise money for a children’s charity.

Southend United Football Club will be hosted stars such as Danny Dyer, Jake Wood, X Factor winner and Coronation Street actor Shayne Ward, Jamaican international football player Jeremie Dwayne Lynch and DJ Locksmith from the drum and bass band Rudimental.

The two celeb teams took to Roots Hall on Sunday afternoon where they battled it out on the pitch to raise money for the Magic Moments Children’s Charity and Southend United Community and Educational Trust.

The teams were headed up by singer and soap star Shayne Ward, and actor Danny Dyer.

The game got off to a flying start, with goals being scored left, right and centre. Both teams showed considerable strength and determination.

By half time, ten goals had been scored, with Danny Dyer’s team leading the game by six goals to four.

However, Shayne Ward’s team turned the game around in the second half, and after 14 more goals were scored, his team took home the trophy after winning the match by 13 goals to 11.

The event was organised by Southend United Football Club and Sellebrity Soccer, a company which organises charity football matches by celebrities.

Kevin Cooper, of Sellebrity Soccer, said the day was a huge success.

He said: “It was a hugely successful, brilliant day at Roots Hall. Both the teams seemed to have a blast all the way through.

“Despite the high winds, we had a huge turnout, with 4,126 people in attendance, which was absolutely amazing.

“The final score was 13-11 to Shayne Ward’s team, they looked overjoyed, and they earned it.”

Mr Ward previously said the cause is always what makes him want to play the celebrity matches, having taken part in those before.

He said: “Knowing that you are raising money for so many different charities is my driving force.”

Before and after the match, the celebs greeted the thousands of fans that came out to see them, with people flooding social media with selfies taken with their favourite players.

The final fundraising totals from the day are still being counted.

The charity Magic Moments helps children who are suffering with life limiting illnesses in the UK, and the club’s community and educational trust, helping young people avoid being tied into antisocial behaviour.

Southend United Community and Educational Trust strives to engage with and enrich the lives of people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and interests using sports participation, health and wellbeing, education and training and community cohesion programmes.