Bono and Beckham back malaria campaign

Bono and David Beckham are among the celebrities who have put their star power behind a new drive to stop malaria.

United Against Malaria has received the backing of the U2 singer, as well as Beckham's football team LA Galaxy.

Other people to get behind the global initiative include Ashley Judd and Champion's League holders FC Barcelona.

Charities including Malaria No More UK, Comic Relief and One have came together to create United Against Malaria.

The organisation aims to work towards providing universal access to malaria medicine and mosquito nets in Africa by the end of next year.

Jamie Drummond, executive director of One, told the Associated Press: "African countries are already making spectacular progress in beating this easily preventable killer.

"Death rates have been halved in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Zambia in just the last few years."

Singer Mandy Moore, former tennis player Anna Kournikova and the Roll Back Malaria partnership are among the other groups and individuals backing the initiative.

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