Sussex footballers play 108-hour match in record bid

A football game in memory of two victims of the Shoreham air crash lasted for 108 hours in a bid to break the world record for the longest match.

The game raised funds for a memorial to Worthing United players Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, killed in the crash, and former club manager Matt Chaplain.

The game in Lancing finished on Monday with a score of 1,009 goals to 872.

Organiser Mike Standing said the players continued through storms, torrential rain and blistering heat.

The result is still to be verified but players believe they broke a world record in the match at Lancing College.

The record for the longest marathon playing football currently stands at 105 hours, achieved by The Craig Gowans Memorial Fund in Edinburgh, on 4-8 July 2015.

Mr Standing said players began to slow down near the end but added: "When the record was in sight, they actually found a massive boost of energy from somewhere, I don't know where - and it turned into a proper competitive game again."

John Burton, from Team United, said: "I can't believe it's happened. The excitement doesn't even come close."

Jason Martin, from Team Heartbeat, said: "It's been the best experience of my life. I don't think anything can match that for a long time."

Funds raised by the match are to go to the British Heart Foundation and to providing a permanent memorial to all three men.

Mr Grimstone and Mr Schilt were among 11 men who died when a vintage jet crashed into traffic on the A27 during last August's Shoreham Airshow.

They were travelling together when the Hawker Hunter hit their vehicle.

The plane fell on to the carriageway, destroying a number of vehicles and bursting into flames.

The pilot, Andy Hill, survived and was interviewed by Sussex Police last year.

Mr Chaplain died after he had a cardiac arrest at the age of 38.