Pamela Anderson storms out of fund-raiser as children's money goes to Notre-Dame

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson stormed out of a football fundraiser in Marseille last night after 100,000 euros intended for poor children in the French port city were redirected to the fund for the fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.

The way we were: Pamela Anderson in her days as a star of the series Baywatch. (AP / JPP)

Tuesday night's gala, which was organised by Olympique Marseille, one of France's most decorated football clubs, was flagged as a fundraiser for children in need.

But the decision to channel the money collected to Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, which was badly damaged by a huge fire early last week, drew a rebuke from Anderson whose partner, Adil Rami, is an Olympique Marseille defender.

Writing on Twitter this morning, Anderson said she believed "the children suffering in Marseille could have used the 100,000 euros more than the church that has already received over a billion in donations."

She went on to say she hoped the donation to the re-building fund will be reconsidered so that the money can be used where it is most needed.