The employers of a Haworth man who died suddenly, aged 29, have described him as having a “heart of gold”.

James Lee, pictured, collapsed in the street in Haworth last month and died before he reached hospital.

The former Oakbank School and Keighley College student had been the co-ordinator of the Worth Valley Community First Responders — a team of volunteer emergency medics.

He worked as a finance assistant and healthcare support worker at Manorlands, the Oxenhope hospice.

Steve Davison, the palliative care services manager at Manorlands, said: “He was a highly respected member of the inpatient nursing team who was able to relate to all of our patients and relatives, even the most difficult ones. In 2006 he was successfully appointed to finance assistant, a post he had held up to the present time.

“He was always keen to look at new ways of working and recently developed a system for controlling our many assets, which has been adopted across the charity. He was always willing to help out in the hospice wherever and whenever he could, day or night.”

Mr Davison added: “James had a wicked sense of humour, was a master at practical jokes and could always raise a smile for anyone.”