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Brothers' football match helps raise £30,000 for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance in memory of Dartford dad and son killed in Frant crash

A football match held in memory of a father and son killed in a car crash has helped raise more than £30,000 for the air ambulance.

Dartford dad Andy Hoyle died at the scene of the incident on the A267 in Frant last August, and Joshua, his two-year-old son, died in hospital nine days later.

From left: Brothers Ian and Shane Hoyle have raised £30,000 in memory of their brother and nephew
From left: Brothers Ian and Shane Hoyle have raised £30,000 in memory of their brother and nephew

Siblings Shane and Ian Hoyle have since held a series of fundraisers in memory of their brother and nephew.

Their latest initiative, a charity football match at Seven Acres Sports Ground in Abbey Wood in which Shane and Ian both played for the KSSAA team, took place against Mental Health United from Brighton.

The event also saw a bouncy castle, face painting, a raffle and tombola as well as ice cream and hot food vans.

Shane said: "My brother was a big football fan and last year we decided to set up an annual charity football match in memory of Andy and Joshua.

"There are so many people we’d like to thank for helping to make this event such a success, including my Mum, May Ousey, who made bags to sell, and Elaine Hurford who made jewellery and also arranged the raffle, along with Debbie Hicks. Sean Mardell was the DJ and Nelz did the club photography."

Andy and son Joshua Hoyle died after a car crash in Frant last August
Andy and son Joshua Hoyle died after a car crash in Frant last August
Shane Hoyle (front row, fifth from left) and Ian Hoyle (front row, sixth from left) with the teams
Shane Hoyle (front row, fifth from left) and Ian Hoyle (front row, sixth from left) with the teams

The charity match was also a way to thank the air ambulance team for giving the Hoyle family nine extra days with little Joshua.

Shane added: "We are forever grateful to them for getting Joshua quickly to King’s College Hospital to keep him in our lives for nine extra days, giving our family the chance to say our goodbyes and kiss him goodnight."

Kelly Heaton-Ralph, from KSS, said: "Thank you so much to the Hoyle family for their remarkable bravery and support of KSS.

"Their football match in June raised £2,000, taking the total they have collected for KSS to an incredible £30,000.

"Each year, we must raise £15.2m to operate our life-saving service and 86% of our total income is raised through the generosity of KSS’s supporters."

Andy and Joshua died after a crash on the A267 at Frant on the approach to Tunbridge Wells in August 2021.

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