Donated socks from a range of celebrities are being auctioned on eBay to kick-start a fund-raising drive by a children's charity based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

An eBay page has been set up by charity the Free Kicks Foundation, which raises money to take deserving children from its area to watch football matches.

Its 'Socktober' appeal has involved the charity contacting dozens of celebrities to ask them to donate socks or other memorabilia to auction on eBay.

Among the many people who responded with donations were Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, boxer Ricky Hatton, former Downing Street press chief Alistair Campbell, and Liverpool footballer Fabio Borini.

"We think it's quite a unique idea that will really capture people's imagination. Charities ask for things like signed shirts all the time," the charity's co-founder, Steve Thorpe, told the BBC.

"We just hassled celebrities and footballers on Twitter and got loads of responses.

"I've now got a drawer full of odd socks - clean socks, dirty socks - we've got the lot," he added.

"The majority of them had been washed first, but there are a few that have a bit of a used smell about them."