Nottingham attacks: Rival Derby and Forest fans to play together

Match organiser Adam Richardson said he got the idea for the match after seeing Ian Coates' sons wearing Forest shirts in memory of their dad

Rival football fans will come together to play a fundraising football match in memory of the three people killed in the Nottingham attacks.

Ian Coates, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber died after being stabbed in the early hours of 13 June.

A match in their honour will be played between Derby County and Nottingham Forest fans at Mickleover's Don Amott Arena at 15:00 BST on 8 July.

Rams supporter Adam Richardson said he wanted to put rivalries aside.

Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar died at the scene of the attacks

Mr Coates was a school caretaker and avid Nottingham Forest fan, while Ms O'Malley Kumar and Mr Webber were both University of Nottingham students and keen sportspeople who played for a number of teams.

A series of vigils were held across the city following the attacks, and Mr Richardson said seeing the sons of Mr Coates wearing Forest shirts at the events gave him the idea of reaching out to Derby's arch rivals.

"It was just an idea to bring both the cities together, to show solidarity [and] to show we were united," he said.

The match will be played at the Don Amott Arena in Mickleover

Money raised by the match will go the the victims' families or charities they nominate.

David Berry is a Forest fan from Mr Webber's hometown of Taunton, Somerset, and will be playing in the match.

"It's great that two rival cities are coming together [after] this tragic event, and hopefully we can raise as much money for the families as we can," he said.

"It will be a good but a sad day at the same time."

Don Amott, chairman of Mickleover FC, said he was happy to help.

"When this awful tragedy happened, I [was] watching it on the TV with my wife Mary, and when the young people's parents came on and addressed the crowd [that] had gathered, we were so upset," he said.

"If sport can bring people and families together in a very small way, I think it's tremendous."