A team of celebrities kicked off their football match preparation with some beach training.

The team, which will take on a team of professionals in The Match, on Sky One later this month, had expected some light exercise on the Tynemouth beach.

Training included volleyball, jogging, sprinting and plenty of work with the ball.

After a rigorous training session, manager Graham Taylor ordered the squad into the freezing North Sea. Only local boy and Big Brother winner Anthony Hutton knew how cold it would be.

Casualty actor Will Mellor described the cold. "Me legs went instantly numb," he said.

Singer Dane Bowers insisted on keeping his tracksuit bottoms on at all times. Later, he confessed to having a phobia - about sand.

"I can't stand the feel of the stuff," he told the TV cameras. "I've got sand all over my face. It's in my hair, my ears, my nose."

To their credit, the celebrities did as they were told and most returned refreshed by the experience.

Last year, the celebrities narrowly lost, but this time around, former England manager Taylor says he expects to win.

The match is at St James' Park, Newcastle, on October 9. For ticket information, log on to www.skyone.co.uk/the match2