A 56-year-old footballer collapsed during a charity match last night.

John Noddings's wife, son and daughter - a police officer - rushed to the middle of the field after the player fell to the ground at Tow Law, County Durham.

Referee Nigel Miller, a police sergeant and qualified first-aider, said that Mr Noddings was unconscious but still breathing when he reached him.

"We put him in the recovery position then began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart massage," said Mr Miller, an assistant referee at this year's FA Cup final.

Ambulancemen, who arrived after 20 minutes, continued first-aid on the field before Mr Noddings was taken to hospital.

His wife, Marilyn, son, Mark and daughter, Jeanette went with him in the ambulance.

The incident occurred after 25 minutes of the match between Tow Law and Weardale Select teams.

Mr Noddings, playing for Weardale, had been among the first to volunteer for the match. "He was running around like the 11-year-old," said match organiser, Charlie Donaghy, his former teacher.

Weardale team's manager, Tony Monkhouse, a former Northern League team mate at Evenwood Town, said: "He is a lovely man who would do anything to help any worthy cause in the Dale, but most of all he's football daft."

Mr Noddings lives at Westgate. The match, which was to raise money for a memorial garden at Wolsingham School and the Butterwick Hospice in Bishop Auckland, was abandoned.

Mr Donaghy, chairman of Wolsingham School Governors, said he was "absolutely devastated."