The former pupils of a Saffron Walden schoolteacher will clash at a charity football match to help fund lifesaving kidney disease research.

Andy Scott, who is now a Design and Technology teacher in Hitchin, has Stage 5 kidney disease and needs a transplant to survive.

He has had Chronic Kidney Disease from an early age, but only revealed his struggles in an assembly on resilience at Saffron Walden County High School (SWCHS), where he taught from 2007 to 2017.

After hearing that Andy's condition had deteriorated during the pandemic, a group of former SWCHS pupils have organised a football match for Thursday (September 9) to raise money for Kidney Research UK.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Andy Scott (R, wearing black) taught at SWCHS between 2007 and 2017Andy Scott (R, wearing black) taught at SWCHS between 2007 and 2017 (Image: Andy Scott)

His Class of 2013 - who are now aged 24 - have fielded a team.

They will play against the Class of 2018 - aged 19 - at 7.45pm at Saffron Walden Town FC on Caton's Lane.

Andy said the gesture is "heartwarming".

He said: "I told the pupils about my condition under the guise of an assembly on 'resilience' and they were very supportive.

"I used to coach football and taught two year groups all the way from Year 7 to Year 11.

"Over the five years we had together, we developed quite a bond through the various matches as well as international and national tours.

"I just felt it was quite heart-warming that after all these years the lads would want to come back and do something to help out their old teacher."

The organisers originally aimed to raise £250 for the Andy Cole Fund, part of Kidney Research UK, for transplant and mental health research.

They have already raised more than 10 times this figure online: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/kickoffforkidneys