The famous Liverpool Beach ball, which caused the Reds to suffer a devastating defeat to Sunderland a few weeks ago, has been auctioned off for charity.

It was donated to the Alder Hey Hospital by Wayne Bate, the man who asked a steward to give it to him to cheer up his son Callum at the match.

Wayne, a Liverpool fan from Thirsk in Yorkshire, said: “We were both stunned by the goal and couldn’t believe what had happened.

“We were in the front row and I asked a steward if we could have the beach ball to cheer up Callum.”

After a week of bidding it finally came under the hammer at £411.77, and Christine Done, the fundraising manager for the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal, was amazed anyone would pay that much for, well…a plastic beach ball!

She said: “This is far more than I was expecting . . . I hoped it would make around £100 so I’m so pleased.

“We never imagined it would raise so much.

“It was fantastic to have been given the ball in the first place and the amount of publicity it has generated for us has been fantastic.

“I’ve no idea who’s been bidding for it but it’s very possible that an Everton fan has won it, and maybe even Pepe Reina the goalkeeper who let the ball go past him in the confusion!”

That must certainly make it the most expensive beach ball ever!