'I set up a football team to help dads deal with baby loss'

Losing a baby before birth led a dad to set up a football team for other men in his position.

Ross Joyner, from Worcester, heard his baby, Daisy, had died in June 2023 when he and his partner received the news nurses could not find a heartbeat during a scan.

After he "snapped a little" a midwife gave him the encouragement to set up a football team for dads who had experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth which led to the formation of Sands United FC Worcester.

The team now has at least 15 members. "We're all in the same place, we know that someone's there because he has lost his little one, and we've lost ours" he said.

He said he tried to continue with life as normal, doing the school run and caring for his partner but one day found it too much.

"What me and my partner went through, I wouldn't wish on anyone it's absolutely horrendous but the people that I've met through this journey have been incredible," he said.

"We've got this unique bond that a lot of people probably do share, but they're not very open about it."

The team meet and train at RGS Grange pitches every Thursday.

Members are not expected to talk about their loss if they do not want to - a kick about with a football is just fine.

"Sometimes we don't speak about it, but we know where the group is when we need them," he said.

"If we can get that hour a week where we've got someone that's really down, but they turn and they're smiling, its to take away a bit of downside."