Dozens of teenagers students taking part in their National Citizen Service (NCS) took part in a series of football matches to raise money for charity.

They came together in honour of the teenage friends of one of the course’s participants, who died in a children’s unit in Bristol following an accident. He was known to most of the players only as ‘T9’, a combination of his first initial and shirt number.

There were 36 participants in total, with the teenagers boosted by the presence of their course leaders and the parents of ‘T9’.

Through donations on the day and their Just Giving page, they raised over £350, which will be donated to Brighter Futures and the intensive care unit in Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Across six hours at Swindon Academy, they played four regular games of football before coming together for an 18-a-side affair.

Between rounds, some of the boys involved faced an ordeal much more challenging than any crunching tackle: having their legs waxed.

Myer Thurman, 16, one of the NCS students taking part, explained: “Because we raised £315 on our Just Giving page, we were waxing boys’ legs for each £50.”

National Citizen Service sees children aged between 15 and 17 taking part in a four-week programme, where they learn life skills, live away from home, and take part in social action.