A heartbroken mother today spoke about the sudden death of her son, an all-round sportsman who died after a football match aged 31.

Barbara Lowe, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, talked about her son Gareth Passell, who died of heart failure shortly after playing football at his club Commercial FC in Apperley Bridge on Sunday.

Mrs Lowe, 58, and her partner Neil Ryan, 53, of Thornbury Grove, Thornbury, Bradford, were away on holiday in Scotland when they were told of Gareth's death. "Gareth's girlfriend Gayle called us and told us what had happened," said Mrs Lowe.

"She'd been to watch him play football and when they got home Gareth felt hot so he went to the bathroom and washed his face. The next minute he was dead. Gayle called an ambulance but it was too late."

Gareth's stepfather Mr Ryan said: "We were told by the Coroner that one of Gareth's arteries was only 20 per cent effective and that the artery failed, causing Gareth's instantaneous death.

"We never knew Gareth had any problems with his health. He was a massive sports enthusiast and very good at it. He would watch and take part in sport at every available opportunity.

"He was particularly keen on fishing and football. Gareth was always an incredibly loyal Queens Park Rangers fan.

"If you wanted to find him you would always find him on a football pitch or watching football on the big screen in the pub enjoying a pint."

Mr Ryan added: "Gareth had a good sense of humour. He would have liked to have the Match of the Day theme played at his funeral as it was his favourite piece of music, but we are going to play M People's Search for the Hero instead because that was another of his favourites."

Mr Ryan owns a fish and chip business in Cleckheaton where Gareth sometimes helped out. He was close to his family and had two stepsisters, Angela, 25, and Sarah, 24. He shared a house in Roydstone Terrace, Thornbury with his stepbrother Craig, 21.

Gareth's girlfriend Gayle Adamson, 26, from Newcastle, was planning to move to Bradford to be with him.

Brought up in Middlesex, Gareth moved to Bradford in 1994. He worked as a sales representative for an air conditioning company in Shrewsbury.

Gareth's funeral and thanksgiving service is being held on Wednesday at 3.40pm at Rawdon Crematorium.

Donations can be made to Dr Morrison's Heart Research Fund.