DAVID BECKHAM - BECKHAM PLAYS SOCCER IN SIERRA LEONE

DAVID BECKHAM has handed out free soccer lessons to starstruck children in the poverty-stricken African nation of Sierra Leone. The LA Galaxy star has jetted to the tiny West African state as part of his role as a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) goodwill ambassador. The husband of Spice Girl Victoria Beckham played with local children and used his platform to make an international appeal to pay more attention to child mortality rates in the developing world. He said, "We can't turn a blind eye to the tens of thousands of young children who die every day in the developing world mostly from causes that are preventable. "Saving these children's lives is a top priority for UNICEF and as an ambassador I hope I can help to draw attention to this issue across the world." The Sierra Leone soccer team would have appreciated Beckham's professional assistance - the national side failed to qualify for the African Cup Of Nations tournament which kicked off in Ghana on Monday (21Jan08).