A WOMAN whose husband died at a football match has donated £3,500 to good causes including the sports club where he was a director.

Shildon AFC director John Hay, 69, collapsed and died while he watched his beloved Shildon AFC play Seaham Red Star in a Durham County Challenge Cup game in January 2013.

Mr Hay fell ill 20 minutes into the match at Seaham Town Park and he later died in Sunderland Royal Infirmary.

His widow Sue Charlton embarked on a fundraising campaign in his memory.

She organised a sky dive at Peterlee Parachute Centre and had intended to take part herself, but due to a knee replacement she was unable to do the jump.

Fellow fundraisers John Bowman, Steph Ridley, Paul Mulley, Liam Stockley and Aaron Layfield did make the leap.

A charity night also helped to boost the money collected in memory of Mr Hay, who had diabetes and had false legs fitted.

The funds were split between Shildon AFC, the prosthetic centre at James Cook University Hospital, at Teesside, and Diabetes UK with each getting £1,150.

Mrs Charlton handed over the money to the groups at Shildon AFC’s presentation night on Friday (May 15).

She said: “I just loved doing the fundraising and everyone has supported us. It makes me so proud that people supported us.

“I had done all of the training so I was totally devastated when they say I couldn’t do the sky dive due to my knee.”

Gareth Howe, secretary of Shildon AFC, said: “On behalf of the football club I’d like to thank Sue.

“John was a very good friend of mine. He’s certainly one person who you would never forget. I think that what Sue is doing is absolutely fantastic and it’s keeping him alive in the football club.”