A FOOTBALL tournament featuring teams from across the south of England was held to mark World Mental Health Day.

The six-a-side event was organised by Albion in the Community (AITC) and took place at Brighton and Hove Albion’s Lancing training ground.

Sixteen teams, including Brighton, QPR, Portsmouth, Southampton, Charlton and Arsenal, sent along squads made up of participants in their community mental wellbeing schemes.

Ex-pros such as former Albion captain Danny Cullip and Charlton keeper Bob Bolder were at the event to support their respective squads.

The tournament was arranged and run by AITC wellbeing coach Paul Brackley.

Mr Brackley runs sessions that aim to use the power of football to help people overcome their own mental health issues and also challenging the stigma surrounding them.

He said: “Events like this are so important to AITC in letting more people know of the great work we do across Sussex, but also raising our status in the national game."

“We're hoping to create a representative squad that could compete in tournaments like we've held today, getting out there on more of a national scale and compete on a bigger basis.”

Albion in the Community is the charitable arm of Brighton and Hove Albion.

For more details about its mental wellbeing scheme and other services, visit www.albioninthecommunity.org.uk.