Match held in memory of siblings killed in crash

Hundreds of people flocked to a fundraising football game in memory of a teenage boy and his little sister who died in a road crash.

Roman Casselden, 16, and Darcie Casselden, nine, lost their lives in Pitsea, near Basildon in Essex, on 1 February, while riding an e-scooter.

Match organiser, Matthew Riggs, said attendees crammed into Bowers & Pitsea Football Club to watch a 'Celebs' team beat a 'Non-Celebs' team, 6-3 on Saturday.

Money raised went towards the children's family and emergency services, with Mr Riggs telling the BBC that locals had "worn their hearts on their sleeves" to support the event.

Mr Riggs said the amount generated by the game had yet to be counted - but more than £30,000 has already been raised.

"The stadium holds 1,000 and it was rammed to the rafters," he told the BBC.

"It completely exceeded our expectations.

"I didn't realise how many people were going to turn out."

He added: "What's happened is so sad and everyone wore their hearts on their sleeves today in Basildon."

Former The Only Way Is Essex star, Dan Osborne, played in the game and said: "It is heart-breaking, but I am just glad I can be here and do something."

The children's mother, Emma, paid a public tribute to her "beautiful angels" shortly after the youngsters died.

She said Roman had a "heart of gold" and Darcie "was a soul filled with creativity and beauty".

An inquest into the children's deaths has been opened.

Coroner Michelle Brown heard that Roman and Darcie each died from a "traumatic head injury" at the scene of the tragedy.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, have been arrested in connection with the children's deaths.

Police said the man was released "under investigation" and the woman was released on bail until 4 April.

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