The former England player turned TV pundit dropped into Carfield Primary School in Meersbrook to host a football shirt swap with a difference as part of charity campaign 'Score Ethiopia'.

Pupil Jessica Pickford won a full team strip for the school after children across Sheffield and Ethiopia's Gondar region put pen to paper to combine their love of the beautiful game with creative flair.

Jessica's design will now be worn by children in Africa, while proud players at Carfield boast kits designed by Ethiopian winner Dessie Norahun.

The young hosts did their very own entertaining version of 'This Is Your Life' for Barnes when they ran through highlights from his footballing career – during which he played for Liverpool, Newcastle Watford – and England, and charity work.

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The delighted star of Strictly Come Dancing took time out to pick up a few new moves from the children as well as accompanying them for his famous rap from England 1990 World Cup song World in Motion.

But he also had a serious message for the youngsters as part of the exchange which aims to strengthen understanding between the UK and Ethiopia as well as deliver much-needed football strips.

Barnes heaped praise on the winning design and said he loved having the chance to work with children across the world on the project.

"I'm here in Sheffield to raise awareness of the problems that they have in Ethiopia and because football is popular all over the world, with Ethiopia no exception, I can help let more people know about it," he said.

Jessica said she thought the colour contrasts had helped her design snatch the top prize and was delighted to meet Barnes.

But the 11-year-old admitted there was a tinge of sadness to the day as the Ethiopian winner Dessie was unable to join the Sheffield celebrations because of last minute visa problems.

"I'm really sad that Dessie can't be here with us especially considering that he's stuck somewhere and can't get out. It must mean more to him than it does to me because of his situation," Jessica said.

Children at Carfield have pledged to do all they can to help their Ethiopian peers and have several fundraising schemes in the pipeline.

And Barnes will take the kit designed by Jessica over to her Ethiopian counterpart at Kilel Rufael Elementary School later in the year.

Teacher Jorge Marenco said the school got involved with the competition as part of work to promote healthy living and find out about a completely different country.

"It was not just about the competition as such. We did a lot of work about Ethiopia and the cultural side of it so it wasn't about winning but about the children knowing about the world," he said.

Wash & Go's 'Score Ethiopia' campaign is focussed on raising funds for water amenities, business start-up loans and football facilities for the Gondar region of Ethiopia.


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