BURY man Murray Birnie, vice-chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club, has died suddenly at the age of 67 in South Africa.

Mr Birnie, who had latterly lived in Haslingden, suffered a fatal heart attack on Thursday in Johannesburg where he had travelled to watch the South Africa-England test series.

The father-of-three had been a Lancashire committee member for 24 years and was heavily involved in organising highly successful testimonials for club stalwarts David Hughes, David Lloyd and Lancashire's current chairman Jack Simmons.

Mr Birnie, who for many years lived in Radcliffe Road, Bury, also ran his own company which raised thousands of pounds for sports-related causes. In his younger days, he was a keen amateur cricketer and footballer.

Throughout his working life, he was involved in engineering and served with Bury-based Charles Walmsleys and the Gigg Lane Paper Mill. He joined the paper machinery division of Peter Brotherhood's in Heap Bridge in 1983 and worked as chief engineer before retiring as general manager in February, 2002.

A statement from Lancashire Cricket Club described Mr Birnie as a "loyal servant and passionate Lancashire supporter" who would be greatly missed.