A 35-year-old Sunday league footballer died after collapsing on the pitch in front of shocked players.

Dave Mallett, 35, pictured, was playing for The Nags team at Horsfall playing fields on Halifax Road when he suffered a suspected heart attack.

His team mates tried to revive him on the pitch before paramedics arrived to treat him. They took Mr Mallett to Bradford Royal Infirmary but he died at the hospital yesterday.

The game against Waggoners in the Bradford Sunday Alliance Division One A league was abandoned by referee Mick Sweeney after just 13 minutes.

John Geater, 43, secretary of the Queensbury-based team, said everyone had been shocked by the tragedy.

He had been playing with Mr Mallett, who was in his first season with Nags, but was well-known in the league.

"I gave away a corner and we managed to clear the ball and the next minute he had gone down and the referee stopped play," said Mr Geater.

"The trainer came on to have a look at him and we thought he was having an epileptic fit."

A first-aider from Holme Wood Athletic, who were playing against Wibsey on another pitch, raced across to help.

"Everybody was trying to help," said Mr Geater. "You could see something major was up with him."

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Mr Mallett on the field and then took him to hospital in an ambulance.

His cousin, who was playing for Wibsey on another pitch, contacted his family and his sister who works at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Paying tribute to Mr Mallett, a father-of-two who lives in Oakworth, Mr Geater said he was a great character with a big personality.

"He was so bubbly, he would just come bouncing through the door," he said. "He was fine, absolutely brilliant before the game. I was one of the last to speak to him in the changing rooms when we were having a crack."

He said the pub was now planning a fund-raising night in his memory.

Michelle Woodward, secretary of Waggonners, said the team was in a state of shock.

"Some of our players went to school with him so they know him as a friend as well as a player," she said. "We send our condolences to his family."

Ronnie Wharton, spokesman for the Bradford Sunday Alliance League, said he was very well-known and had played in the league for a long time with Aire United, Whetley Lane, West Bowling and Woodman Rovers.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Ambulance Service said they arrived at the scene at 11.24am and treated him for heart and breathing problems before taking him to Bradford Royal Infirmary.