Cricketer, 43, collapses and dies on hottest day

Gary Simpson, 43, was batting for his local club in Leeds when he complained of feeling thirsty and unwell during his team's away match at the weekend. Gary collapsed a short time later and died in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

It is not yet known whether the scorching temperatures, which reached 25C on Saturday, played a part in his death.

His daughter Charlotte said: "He will be so sadly missed, he was loved by everyone at the club and such a big part of of it. It is such a shock he is gone.

"We aren't sure exactly what happened yet until the post-mortem, dad was fit and hardly drank but he did smoke."

Charlotte, 21, captained the New Farnley C team on Sunday as a tribute to her dad.

"It's what he would have wanted, he loved cricket and got me into it. He would have liked it and he was there with me all through the day," she said.

Gary's brother, Andrew, another long-term member of the club, said his brother "had no history of illness" and that they don't know the cause of his sudden death yet.

Club chairman John Baldwin said: "Gary collapsed and the game was stopped and then cancelled, we couldn't work out what had happened.

"We cancelled the game on the Sunday as well and gave all five teams the choice to whether they wished to play.

"Everyone decided not to play but Charlotte wanted to play on Sunday in a tribute to her dad, she doesn't usually captain but she did for that game.

"Gary was such a nice guy but it is always the nice guys to go. He will be sorely missed."

Mr Baldwin said Gary's team-mates planned to attend his funeral wearing their cricket whites in a tribute to the player.

Secretary Neil Stokoe said: "The entire family is involved with the cricket club and the loss of Gary is a sad one for all members of the club."