FOOTIE teams comprised of work colleagues raised £1,500 for Hertsmere charities.

Teams from eight organisations battled it out on the pitch in aid of Action for ME and Action for ME and RADAR (Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation).

The Mayor's Charity Football Tournament was hosted at Arsenal Training Ground in Shenley on Wednesday.

Teams were drawn from Hertsmere Borough Council, the council's grounds maintenance contractors John O'Conner, Hertsmere Leisure, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Each team raised sponsorship to take part in the tournament and an Arsenal shirt and football signed by all the Arsenal players were auctioned after play. This is the second event of its kind and it's hoped it will continue to be an annual event.

Mayor of Hertsmere, councillor Rosemary Gilligan, said: "It was a wonderful event and it was lovely to see so many teams from local authorities and companies taking part. "The final figure raised will be around £1,600 which will be donated to my two chosen charities along with other monies raised during my year as mayor."

Finesse Leisure, which provides leisure services in Welwyn Hatfield, won the tournament, winning on penalties against Hertsmere Leisure.

The Relics, a team made up of the chief executive of Hertsmere Borough Council Donald Graham and colleagues came third.

Despite possibly being the fittest of the bunch, the team from Hertsmere Constabulary came last.