Fans with Alzheimer's lead out England for charity

England's Marc Guehi, John Stones, Jordan Pickford and Declan Rice line up with the mascots, including Susan from Bristol

Two Bristol football fans have led out the England men's team at Wembley ahead of a friendly against Wales in aid of an Alzheimer's disease charity.

Susan and Adron were among 22 people living with the condition who walked out with some of the biggest names in football in front of a crowd of more than 78,000 people.

It is the fourth game of its kind, known as the Alzheimer's Society International, since the Football Association established a partnership with the charity in 2021.

Over the past four years, the partnership has raised more than £1.2m for the charity.

Adron received a video message from World Cup Winner Sir Geoff Hurst inviting him to Wembley to be a mascot

Adron, 81, who is a lifelong Bristol City fan, began playing league football in his youth.

He was also in the crowd at Wembley in 1966 to witness England winning the World Cup - what he says is his most memorable event.

He received a video message from World Cup Winner, Sir Geoff Hurst, inviting him back to Wembley to be a mascot.

Local dementia cafe

Susan, a proud Bristol Rovers fan, was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia 10 years ago.

She now regularly visits schools to talk about her condition with school children.

She said: "People think if you have dementia you just sit about, but I don't."

She added the children often asked: "'Are you sure you have dementia?' I just love it."

She was told about the Wembley trip at her local dementia cafe at St Stephens Church, Soundwell, Bristol.

There are more than 101,500 people living with dementia in south-west England, with 4,600 people in Bristol.

Matt Hughes-Short, of the Alzheimer's Society, said the partnership with the FA had had "such a tangible impact for people with dementia and thousands of fans, players and staff now know where to go to access vital support".