Grime artists including Dappy and Kojo Funds line-up for anti-knife crime football match

Grime artists Dappy and Kojo Funds are among a team of music stars lining up for a charity football match aimed at tackling knife crime.

The stars will take on Hackney Wick FC for the ‘United Against Knife Crime’ match in east London on Friday.

Hackney Wick are led by reformed gang member Bobby Kasanga, and will pair up with representatives of the Wickers Charity, which campaigns against knife crime.

It comes after fears were raised about the soaring number of young people being killed or injured in stabbings in the capital this year.

Other grime artists due to be involved include Youngs Teflon, Tricky, Don EE and Margs.

Mr Kasanga said: “The knife crime rate in London is spiralling out of control, and youths need to be inspired by their role models. Enough is enough and we want to raise this issue that is destroying our communities.

“Our ultimate goal is to bring the grassroots community together and improve quality of life for our supporters and stakeholders using football as the catalyst for this transformation."

Proceeds from the event will go to the Hackney Wick Football Club.

Tickets for the event, at the London Marathon Community Track Stadium from 5.30pm on Friday, are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ e/united-against-knife-crime- match-tickets-43361756180