MORE than 300 people packed into a North-East church yesterday to say their farewells to a 24-year-old sportsman who died suddenly during a game of football.

Family, friends and sporting colleagues gathered at St Batholomew's Church at Sunderland Bridge, Durham, for the funeral service of Kelvin McIntosh.

Mr McIntosh, a keen all- round sportsman, lived with his parents Judith and Dave McIntosh, in Croxdale, and had been playing football for Croxdale and Hett Workingmen's Club in the Sunday League last weekend when he collapsed.

Among his many sporting achievements had been to be selected for the British Taekwando Championships. He also represented the county in athletics and played rugby for the Durham Tigers and Gateshead Mets.

He was equally passionate about playing for his football club and it was six of his team-mates who acted as pallbearers.

Leading the mourners into church were his mother and father and partner of five years Kimberley Hutchinson.

They were joined by his brothers Shaun and David and grandparents Allan and Ada Price.

Vicar of St Bartholomew's, the Reverend Father Martin Wray described Mr McIntosh as unique and widely loved, a young man who had developed a style of his own.

The service also included a reading of the Rudyard Kipling poem, If. Mr McIntosh's coffin was brought out of the church to Robbie Williams song Angels.

His parents had earlier said of their son: "There will never be anyone like Kelvin again. He was loved by everybody, he was passionate about sport and passionate about people."

As a mark of respect to Mr McIntosh, the Sunday League has postponed all of its games this weekend.

League secretary Mike Hill said: "The thoughts and sympathies of every single club and referee is now with Kelvin's family."

* The Northern Echo attended the funeral with the permission of the family.