A FOOTBALL match will be played in Wickwar later this month in memory of a young paint sprayer from the village.

The inaugural memorial match will honour Jack Addle, who died in a car crash on July 13, 2015.

Jack, 26, a former Katharine Lady Berkeley pupil who was described as a ‘cheeky chappie’ by his relatives, died of multiple injuries in a head-on collision with an oncoming car after pulling out to overtake on The Downs road just outside the village.

His sister Joanne Green said her brother was ‘our Jack the Lad’.

She said in a statement after the crash: “"Jack was a loving son, grandson, brother and uncle. Jack loved his music and his football.

"He was a cheeky chappie, always with a smile on his face.”

The memorial match, between Wickwar Wanderers and Wotton Rovers, is being held on Saturday, July 30 (5.15pm) at Synwell playing fields in Wotton-under-Edge.

Wickwar Wanderers manager John Abbott, who is organising the event with Rovers’ manager Mike Thompson, said: “We have a shield, the Jack Addle Memorial Shield, and it will be engraved every year as we want it to become an annual occasion.

“It’s really a chance to keep Jack’s name alive and to remember him.“ He added: “I have known Jack since he first played for Wickwar aged 10 and he played during the season before the accident.

"He was very popular and it would be hard to imagine such a memorable individual, he was genuinely a one-off.

“Jack had a tonne of friends and lots of his family will be there too.”

Wickwar Wanderers will field a team of current players and veterans who had played with Jack, taking on Wotton’s reserve team in a friendly exhibition game.

Any ex-team mates of Jack’s who want to get involved should contact John Abbott at Wickwar Wanderers or Mike Thompson at Wotton Rovers.

A bar will be open during the match and spectators are welcome.