Norfolk footballers 5-a-side Tournament in memory of Postie

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Norfolk footballers let their feet do the talking in memory of Thetford postman

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The memory of a popular Norfolk postman was foremost in the minds of footballers who gathered for a five-a-side tournament to raise money for charity.

In total, 23 teams participated in the competition at Breckland Leisure Centre, Thetford on Saturday in memory of Thetford man Richard Croome, who died aged 28 in a road crash in November 2011.

Teams from as far afield as Ipswich joined Thetford sides, including representatives of the Polish and Portuguese communities, for the event, which was raising money for the Maisy Hutley Fund to buy special equipment for the two-year-old Thetford girl, who has spinal muscular atrophy type two causing wasting of the arm and leg muscles.

Father-of-three Mr Croome died when his red Vauxhall Combo van left Brettenham Road, Kilverstone near Thetford and hit a tree on November 22, 2011.

His brothers Adam, 28 and Nigel, 26, were also playing and paid tribute to their football-mad sibling, who was a Tottenham Hotspur fan.

Adam said: “He was very much a family man and he was always good to people. He would think to help people out and he loved his football, loved his sports.”


He recalled the “horrible” moment he was told about his brother’s death, adding: “It was hard to believe it could happen to someone like him.”

Martin Carter, one of the organisers, along with Robert McGrath and Jamie Jarrett, said: “He was a very popular guy. He was the sort of person who would be waving to people when he was out and about.”

The football competition was last staged in 2012 when over £1,000 was raised for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, based at Quidenham.

Mr Croome, who lived in Allisons Close, Thetford, has three children- Louis, eight, Harry, six and Marni, five.