A HEREFORDSHIRE cricket club have been stunned by the death of one of their longest-standing members.

Peter Pedlingham had been involved with Colwall Cricket Club for more than half-a-century.

The 69-year-old had been chatting with friends on Sunday at the club’s Stowe Lane headquarters during Herefordshire’s MCCA Trophy clash with Devon and Colwall’s Village Knockout fixture with Bretforton, which was taking place on the next-door Ghost Meadow pitch.

He collapsed during the afternoon and although an ambulance and air ambulance attended, they were unable to save him.

“He was a stalwart of the club and he was always doing things in support,” said Colwall’s chairman Gary King.

“His life was the cricket ground and he had said to me during the day what a wonderful occasion it was here to have both a Minor Counties match and a Village Knockout match going on at the same time.

“He had been poorly for a little while but his death will be a huge loss.”

Pedlingham, who ran a store in Colwall, played for the village club from the age of 12.

At the time of going to press, details of his funeral arrangements had not been released.