Accountants, lawyers and businessmen have formed a rugby side to help fund a charity project in Africa.

The team aim to raise money for Raise the Roof, a group that is building a school in Nakuru, Kenya.

The Kenyan government will help fund the project if they also build athletic grounds, including a full rugby pitch.

Dan Besley, who came up with the idea for the team, said: “The government tends to focus on sports programmes because of the success of Kenyan athletes. Rugby is really up and coming over there and as a lot of my friends are already involved with the game - some even playing for national league clubs - I saw it as the perfect opportunity to fundraise.”

The team’s first match was on November 27, against a team made up of Old Cranleighan and Law Society players, who they defeated 57 - 29.

The Old Cranleighan Club in Thames Ditton allowed them to use the rugby pitches for free and provided food and drink for the event, which raised £1,000 for Raise the Roof.

Mr Besley said: “Everyone really enjoyed it. Even people who don’t usually follow rugby said how much fun it was to raise money for charity in a different way.”

The next match will be in February against a team from Sky TV.

They have also been invited to play as the only foreign team in a tournament in Africa next Easter.

For more information, visit raisetheroofkenya.com.