by Alan Quick

FRIENDS of the former Bow AAC player who tragically collapsed during a football match and died after coming off the field, organised a Memorial Match and Evening, which took place at Bow Village Hall and field on Saturday, October 31.

The sudden death of a young football player, Nick Cole, shocked his team-mates and the community last October.

Nick, aged 26, was playing in the home match against his childhood football team of Thorverton, when he left the pitch, complaining of feeling ill.

After he collapsed he was airlifted to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital by a Devon Air Ambulance but despite the efforts of paramedics, he failed to recover.

The match was abandoned after around 80 minutes. It was concluded that he had died of a heart attack.

Mr Cole worked for Parkwood Leisure at the Riverside Leisure Centre in Exeter.

His former team-mates and friends organised the fundraiser and the afternoon included a football match and silent auction, bar, refreshments and barbecue.

A large crowd of spectators attended and a minute’s applause was held in Nick’s memory.

The match teams were the Bow All Stars and Nick Cole All Stars.

During the evening, from 8pm to midnight, there was a dance in the Village Hall with music by the band “Fairplay”.

More than 200 people attended and all profits from the day and evening went to the British Heart Foundation, in Nick’s memory.