A CHARITY football match will take place in Taunton this Sunday in memory of young man who was killed after a night out last year.

Ross Paterson, a former Richard Huish student, was struck by a taxi on the Obridge Viaduct in Taunton in the early hours of March 16 while he walked home.

An inquest last November found that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the taxi driver and an accidental death was recorded.

Ross' family channelled their grief into good by setting up a charity in his memory, aimed a preventing a similar incident happening to someone else.

The charity, Get Home Safe is fronted by Ross' aunt Helen Evans.

She said: "You never really get over what happened and I don't think any of us have, Ross was my only nephew so I was very close to him.

"He had studied sports journalism, his passion was writing and that was all he wanted to do.

"He was a massive Celtic fan and loved football so we thought the football match would be a good way to remember him.

"If we can just stop this happening to one other family then we have achieved our goals, the past few years there have been so many incidents where people have died or have been seriously injured while trying to get home after a night out."

The charity football match at Taunton's Football Club on Sunday is the charity's first major event.

Trustees and some of Ross' family and friends will be playing against a team from Avon and Somerset Police.

Helen added: "We've only been going for around a year but already we're starting to take things nationwide, we have posters up at the university in Newcastle, we're going to fresher fairs in September and we're starting to get our message out there.

"Often you think you're invincible, especially if you've been drinking.

"We want people to go out and have a good time still, we just want them to think and having a plan about how they're going to get home.

"You don't think about the impact something as simple as getting home can have not just on you but your family and friends as well."

As well as the football match, there will also be a sports auction with signed football shirts from Steven Gerrard, Gareth Bale and two Newcastle signed tops and other things.

There will also be live music and a chance to find out more about the charity.

The match will be taking place at the football ground at the end of Wordsworth Drive.

Gates open at 1pm for a 2pm kick-off.

Entry is £3 for adults and £1.50 for children under 14.

All proceeds will be going to Get Home Safe.

For more information, visit gethomesafe.me.uk