THE death of a goalkeeper who collapsed and died during a match was due to natural causes, an inquest heard.

Craig Russell, 23, of Glen Street, Colne, collapsed 65 minutes into Trawden FC's game against Nelson's Walton FC at Sough Park, Earby on Sunday, February 4.

Despite frantic efforts by fellow players and emergency workers to revive him, Craig died later at Burnley General Hospital but doctors were left baffled by what could have caused his sudden death.

The inquest at Burnley Coroner's Court heard that a post mortem examination on Craig's body showed no abnormalities and extensive further tests also failed to reveal anything wrong.

Experts now believe former Park High School pupil Craig died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, an undiagnosed natural cause of death, similar to cot death in apparently healthy babies - although the inquest was told this was just a best guess.

Craig's dad Barry Russell told the court there had been nothing to suggest his son was anything other than a fit and healthy young man.

He said: "Craig used to help his friends out if they needed anything and he used to be a bit of a pigeon fancier just like me.

"He liked a few pints and he was very active. He was just a normal young lad."

Trawden FC team member Timothy Kendal, who saw his friend collapse, said: "I was playing at right back when someone on the other team put a through ball through.

Craig just shouted 'keeper's ball' and ran out and cleared it then as he walked back to the goal he just collapsed.

"I only saw it out of the corner of my eye and I didn't know if he was messing about but when I ran over to him I knew it was serious."

Pathologist Dr Zuhair Twaij said: "There was not any finding to say what the exact cause of death was.

"In about 95 per cent of sudden deaths we manage to find a cause but with the other five per cent we cannot, like with some sudden infant death.

"There are many theories about this and it is the same with adults who die suddenly but we cannot find any change in the body when we examine them."

Dr Twaij said the most likely scenario was that Craig had suffered a severe arrhythmia, an irregular heart beat caused by a failure of the neuro signals between the brain and the heart.

East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict that Craig died from natural causes and said: "Our best guess is that the this was something to do with the heart that did not show up at the post mortem examination and that is is therefore an undiagnosed natural cause of death."