A DATE has been set for the funeral of York rugby league legend Stuart Evans.

It will take place at York Crematorium on Friday, December 9, at 1pm, with a double time slot booked given the number of mourners expected.

The family have said all who knew Mr Evans, be it through rugby or work, are welcome, while collections and donations are to go to Yorkshire Kidney Research and the York & District Amateur Rugby League.

A wake will follow at South Bank Working Men's Club.

Mr Evans, a Rugby Football League match official for over 40 years, a longstanding committee member of the York & Selby RL Referees Society and a member of the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) management board, died last Thursday after a short illness, aged 68.

Mr Evans' son, Gareth, paid tribute to his dad, and also spoke of his shock at his death.

"I found him in his chair when I got back from work," he said. "I was just in a state of shock. He'd been fine that morning before I left.

"He passed away at home, where he'd wished to go, which is some comfort."

Gareth followed his dad into rugby league officiating and is now a touch judge at Championship and League One level and an in-goal referee in Super League.

He said: "My dad is a character who will be missed, not just by me but by the wider community and the rugby league community.

"We're expecting a big turnout - over the last few days I have received so many phone calls, as have the RFL."

He added: "I took up refereeing when I was eight years old - being a touch judge at matches in the old Yorkshire League.

"There could be a few hundred people who, thanks to my dad down the years, have taken up refereeing or been given crash courses in it so they learn more about the game as a whole - Gary Divorty (former Great Britain star) is among them. But he was also involved in the game in lots of other ways.

"He was also a proud man and a bit of a traditionalist."

Mr Evans, who took up the whistle having played amateur rugby in his youth, was named the RFL's Community Match Official of the Year in 2015.

He was also a lifelong supporter of his hometown club, becoming their unofficial historian. He is the only match official to be named in the York RL Legends list as set up by York City Knights.

He won an outstanding contribution accolade at this year's Active York Sports Awards, was nominated for a York Community Pride gong, and last month received a trophy for outstanding service to York & District ARL.