SAINTS' famous red and white shirts have travelled hundreds of miles to be proudly worn by a young team of footballers in the Middle East.

Until recently the under-13 side didn't have any proper football strip when they played against other teams in the Deir Al Ballah area of the Gaza Strip.

Now, thanks to their new attire, they look like true professionals and have even renamed themselves the Gaza Saints.

It was all made possible by Saints fan Philip Campion, who is currently working in Gaza for a private security company.

He said: "The whole thing started when I came into Gaza with a training team for the presidential guard and I heard about this football team."

During a visit back to his wife Clare, son Perry, 14 and daughter Olivia, five, at the family home in Bitterne, Southampton, he was able to obtain an old team strip from Southampton Football Club's Saints Academy.

Philip, 38, then took the consignment of shirts back to the Gaza Strip with him.

"These boys don't have a lot. They have the best part of nothing," said Philip, a former member of the Royal Hampshire Regiment and Special Air Service.

"One of them had heard of Alan Shearer. They all knew David Beckham. Now they all know about Matt Le Tissier and are all true Saints fans!

"The kit has made a small difference to these kids, who don't get much.

"I am keeping up to date with their scores and they are doing quite well."

The young footballers often play the beautiful game with bombs going off around them - caught in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Unlike the impressive surroundings of St Mary's Stadium, the team must make do with an area of sand and grass on which they sometimes play with bare feet. However, their new shirts certainly seem to be bringing a winning streak as they climb up their league.

Now these newly converted Saints fans hope that their favourite team will this season do the same too!