Young football fan's festive homeless fundraiser
Family handoutA 10-year-old football fan has raised more than £460 to help feed homeless people this Christmas after winning a competition run by his local club.
Riley, from Thornaby, entered a World Kindness Day competition organised by Middlesbrough FC last month and raffled off the signed football he won so others would not go hungry.
The money has been split between Middlesbrough Foodbank and Sanctuary Supported Living in Hartlepool, to provide Christmas dinner for those without a home.
Riley said: "I don't want anybody to have no home and I want them to have food - because I love my food."
His father Terry, 44, said Riley had suggested to the club that he wanted to help homeless people, so 'Boro gave him the ball to carry out his goal.
"I went to every single classroom in my school every day for a full week and asked people if they wanted to buy some raffle tickets to help the homeless and food banks," said Riley.
"I think it'll make a very big difference".
Family handoutTerry, who described his son's action as "amazing" said at the end of each school day Riley would hold up a sign in the playground asking people to buy raffle tickets.
"He did that off his own back," Terry said.
Riley will also get to walk out on to the pitch at the Riverside Stadium during Middlesbrough's Boxing Day clash with Blackburn Rovers.
