The family of rugby star Gavin Curwen have thanked the community for keeping his memory alive.

The former player and coach at Wath Brow Hornets died earlier this year after collapsing while celebrating his upcoming birthday with friends.

A post mortem confirmed the 40-year-old had coronary artery atherosclerosis and, following his death, family and friends set up a foundation in his name.

The Gavin Curwen Heart Screening Foundation has so far raised £20,000 and the first screening will be carried out on Wath Brow’s youth and open age side in September.

Mr Curwen’s partner of 21 years, Lynda Butterworth, said she couldn’t thank people enough for the amount of money that’s been raised.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “We are carrying on with the fundraising and will hold a charity do in his name every year.

“I just miss him so much. Our son, Samuel, has lost his best friend – he would have been his coach this year.”

Mr Curwen’s mum, Elsie, added: “He was so popular – there were about 800 people at his funeral.”

An inquest was held yesterday into the process worker’s death.

The coroner’s court, at Cockermouth, heard how Mr Curwen had been out celebrating his upcoming birthday at the Wath Brow Hornets Club in February when he fell to the floor and went to sleep.

When his friends realised that his breathing had become shallow, they called an ambulance.

Mr Curwen went into cardiac arrest and despite paramedics and friends carrying out resuscitation, he was later pronounced dead at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Coroner Kally Cheema concluded that Mr Curwen’s death was alcohol related, based on toxicology findings.

A toxicology report revealed he had 390mcg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit drink-drive limit is 80mcg.

A post mortem revealed the cause of death was alcohol intoxication and found that Mr Curwen had the heart condition.

Speaking to his family, Miss Cheema said: “He was a larger than life character and this is, as you say, was totally unexpected.”

Mr Curwen, of Trumpet Road, Cleator, began playing rugby with Wath Brow Hornets when he was just six years old and was a valued player.

He helped the club to National Club Glory in 2004 and when he retired from the game, turned to coaching the junior players and then became the assistant coach of the open age side.