Chester FC and comedians help raise £10k for Ciaran fund

Chester FC fans have raised more than £10,000 in memory of fan and mascot Ciaran Geddes.

Ciaran, 7, died of heart failure while playing football near his school.

He was a devoted Chester fan and was the team's mascot during a tie against FC United last year.

His club held a charity match on Sunday to raise money for his family's campaign for more defibrillators in public places.

Ciaran's granddad Dave Latham told Granada News: "The fans have been absolutely fantastic on Facebook and on Twitter, I couldn't ask for anything more."

The match pitted the current Chester squad against a side made up of players from the 2004 Conference Championship-winning side.

North West comedians John Bishop and Jason Manford also played in the veterans' team.

Explaining why Ciaran's family launched the campaign, Mr Latham added: "If we save one life we've done the task.

"You've only got a four minute window and if you get a shock to them in that four minute window they stand a very good chance of survival."

Mr Latham used to take Ciaran to watch Chester FC.

He said his grandson had a gift for football and was becoming a talented player.

He continued: "Next season's going to be hard, because four or five of us that come down in the car and Ciaran was always there singing a song - 'do you think I can get the fans to sing this song?'."

More than 1,700 fans went to the Exacta stadium for the match. It ended 6-4 to the current Chester FC side, with John Bishop scoring two for the veterans.

Runcorn firm Zoll Medical donated the first defibrillator to Ciaran's mother Marika Latham during half time.

Jason Manford played for most of the first half.

He said: "When you see something like that, it's just heart breaking. I don't know whether it's being a parent, or just a normal human being.

"It's always a tragedy whenever anybody dies, especially a child, but if in memory of him you can save other lives, it sort of makes a family feel like it wasn't in vain."