ARSENAL football legends, musicians and life-sized reptiles helped raise thousands of pounds for a little boy with a life-limiting disease.

Stanley Newman, five, joined family and friends for the Essex Hands United versus Arsenal Charity Team football match.

The likes of ex-Gunners Jimmy Carter and Johnny Matthew joined TV personalities Perry Benson from Benidorm and Ground Force’s Tommy Walsh at Clacton FC’s Rush Green grounds.

The family fun day which saw performances from Essex Hands’ ambassador Lydia Lucy, So Solid Crew, was held in aid of Stanley, who has muscular dystrophy.

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The charity is supporting the family’s £20,000 fundraising efforts to install a hydrotherapy spa and therapy room at their home while making the garden accessible for Stanley, a full-time wheelchair user.

Marion Knight, founder of Essex Hands, said: “I cried when the life-size dinosaur came out on the pitch because Stanley didn’t know what to do, he thought it was real.

"But he was amazed at the whole day and everyone loved him.

“There’s so many good-hearted people in Clacton and a real sense of community spirit.

"We’ve raised £4,000 so far without the online auction we’re having of an Ed Sheeran t-shirt which he wore. 

"Plus we have a signed copy of the script and DVD for the film Borstal which was released earlier this year.”

Given the event's success, there could be a future concert with So Solid Crew later this year to raise yet more money - if there is enough demand.

Marion said the group are already planning for next year and hint at bringing the group's only female singer, Lisa Mafia, to perform.

She added: "They smashed it on stage. People just went wild when they came on and Lydia was amazing as usual."

Essex Hands will continue to support Stanley for a year. Seventy per cent of the proceeds go to the Newman's and 30 per cent is donated to the Arsenal Foundation. For information on donating, click here.

To apply to be Essex Hands' charity of the year, email marion.knight@essexhands.co.uk.