Last updated at 16:09, Friday, 15 March 2013

A DEVOTED husband and father has been denied what was to be his proudest moment – walking his daughter down the aisle.

HAPPIER TIMES The Thompson family at bride-to-be Victoria’s graduation day in 2008. From left: Pat, Natalie and Lee Submitted

Lee Thompson, 55, of Teasdale Road, Walney, collapsed and later died at the Leeds General Infirmary on Saturday.

The wedding of his 26-year-old daughter Victoria, and her fiancé Ben Houghton, will go ahead as planned at the Grange Hotel, Grange, over the Easter weekend.

Mr Thompson was on a stag weekend with Mr Houghton – his son-in-law to be, Chris McIroy, the fiancé of his other daughter Natalie, and other friends. Mr Thompson had travelled to Leeds on the Friday afternoon and the following day the group went go-karting.

After two or three laps, Mr Thompson pulled over to the side of the track where he appeared to slump over the steering wheel. A red flag went up with number 11 showing.

Mr McIroy, who was on the other side of the track with Mr Houghton, said: “We knew it was one of our team members and realised something was not right.

“A paramedic was on the scene right away and gave him CPR. He was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary and with Ben, Victoria and myself at his side he was given further attention for a further two hours before he passed away.”

Word then reached Natalie at her Swarthmoor home and she went to Furness General Hospital where her mother Pat is a clinical support worker.

Miss Thompson, 24, who had only had two hours’ sleep, then drove her mother to the hospital in Leeds.

Mrs Thompson said: “All through the journey we heard no news on Lee and we feared the worst.

“When we arrived at the hospital we were met by a nurse and taken to see Lee, I just broke down.

“He was never on his own as Chris, Ben and Victoria were at his side and we said our goodbyes.

“Lee was so proud of his daughters and his dog Chester, an Airedale terrier who he walked all over the island.

“He was working on his wedding day speech and would have been so proud to walk Victoria down the aisle. He would have enjoyed the day at the Grange Hotel. The wedding will go ahead, Lee wouldn’t want anything different.”

Mr Thompson, a project leader at BAE Systems in Barrow, was a former rugby league player and coach at Barrow Island.

Russ Walker, a colleague and former team-mate, said: “Lee was not only a good friend but a good rugby player, he had the respect of others around him. I am the godfather of Natalie and we had many good times together. It is so sad.”

Tributes have flooded in from others who knew Mr Thompson through rugby and worked with him at the shipyard.

Dave Wright, a former Barrow Island coach, said: “Lee was a stalwart of the Island club. He was Barrow Island through and through.”

Malcolm Keith, who brought Lee in as coach at Flookburgh, added: “He was an absolute diamond of a man and the news came as a great shock.”

John Ashurst, a colleague and friend of more than 30 years, described Mr Thompson as “a fantastic friend and work colleague who was dependable, trustworthy and reliable”, while Ian McAllister, Mr Thompson’s line manager, said: “This is a tremendous shock and his passing has left a big hole ... I still look to his seat in the corner when I come into work in the morning expecting him to be there.”

l Mr Thompson’s funeral is due to take place on Friday, March 22, at St Mark’s Church in Rawlinson Street, Barrow, at 1pm, followed by a service at the crematorium and a reception at the Lisdoonie Hotel in Abbey Road.

First published at 16:01, Friday, 15 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk