A KEEN sportsman collapsed and died on a bowling green in Poynton while enjoying one of his regular evening games.
Pensioner Ivan Wilberforce, an avid member of Poynton Sports Club, was just starting a game with fellow team members when he complained of feeling unwell.
The 67-year-old retired MD was treated by paramedics at the scene on Friday, July 27, and taken to Stepping Hill Hospital, but passed away.
His wife Pauline and brother Barry described him as a well liked man whose passions were bowls and golf.
"He was a sportsman all his life," they said. "He played lots of different sports and especially enjoyed bowls and golf, playing two or three times a week."
Ivan had followed in the footsteps of his father, Norman, to take up bowls two decades ago and was also a member of Hazel Grove Golf Club.
Bowls team mate, Brian Hudson, who described Mr Wilberforce as a 'typically good club man', was with his friend when he collapsed.
"He was a good team mate," he said. "When I was a new player he helped me an awful lot. We had just started playing when he said he didn't feel well and just sank to his knees.
"The paramedics treated him and took him away and at that point we were still hopeful, but we found out later that the resuscitation attempts weren't successful."
Before retirement, Mr Wilberforce was managing director of a sprinkler company and had lived in Hazel Grove for 41 years with his wife and their much loved pet dogs, which he idolised.
He had undergone a triple heart bypass around 20 years ago, but was said to be generally a fit and healthy man.
