Football match held in memory of Shropshire teacher

It was a fitting tribute to an active teacher who died suddenly of a heart attack.

Mr Utting, 37, was an English teacher at the school for 10 years and his sudden death from a heart attack last month sent shockwaves through the school.

The sixth formers and staff did battle for 90 minutes in front of a crown of about 300 pupils, friends and family, before the sixth formers emerged as victors 5-0 at the home of Wem Town Football Club.

In the crowd was Mr Utting's widow Alison, and her sister Rachael Baseley, who had travelled over from Montana in America.

It was an emotional event, where Mr Utting was at the forefront of everyone's minds, with a one minute's applause celebrating his life perfectly observed before kick-off.

Mrs Utting, who had tears in her eyes through the applause, said: "It has been great to see so many people turn out. It is a warm feeling to know that people have gone through all this trouble, and it has been so fitting, it really has.

"I feel proud that Gareth has given so many good memories and inspired these young people, and that they will remember him.

"I would give anything not to have been here in these circumstances but I am proud of his legacy. Pupils at the school will talk and think about him for years to come and that is very moving.

"I was overwhelmed during the applause, it was harder than I thought it would be."

All the money raised through the match will be spent on a defibrillator for the school, which Mr Utting had been campaigning for before his death.

Elizabeth Dakin, headteacher at Thomas Adams and colleague of Mr Utting, said: "We know that Gareth worked hard for a defibrillator for the school and we will be getting one in memory of Gareth.

"The students have been amazing through all of this and have acted with dignity and maturity through it all.

"We were all devastated and shocked when Gareth died and for many of the pupils this was heir first experience of death.

"And this has been a celebration of Gareth's life and walk at the school."

At the match every shot, save and tackle was applauded and jeered with chants like "C'mon sixth form", and "dodgy keeper" rippling across the terraces.

The match has followed a memorial service held at the school last month, which featured poetry reading, singing and several speeches from his colleagues.

The school are also putting together a book of memories for the family which will contain, poetry, jokes and anecdotes of Mr Utting from the pupils he taught and will be presented to the family when completed.

His funeral took place on April 14 at St Mary's Church, Ellesmere, which was attended by hundreds of mourners.

Formerly of St Martins, Mr Utting was a leader of the St Martin's Beaver Scouts, as well as a martial arts instructor in Eskrima.

He was an active member of Penycae Neighbourhood Church of the Nazarene, based in the village between Chirk and Wrexham.

Meanwhile, an open letter from his wife to Education Secretary Michael Gove has now been shared more than 96,000 times on the internet.

Mrs Utting, who believes the stress of his job contributed to his death, wrote an open letter to Mr Gove and posted it on Facebook – saying her husband had been "killed by the system".