York bowling stalwart Gordon Little - a man who "lived for bowls" - has died in York District Hospital, aged 61.

The secretary manager of York Indoor Bowls Club, Thanet Road, and also the Evening Press bowls correspondent, was taken ill after a hip replacement operation almost a month ago.

Mr Little, who recently moved from Stutton, near Tadcaster, to Little Ouseburn, died on Saturday after two weeks in intensive care and leaves a wife, Nonie, two sons, a daughter and grandchildren.

Many members of the club were hearing of the secretary manager's death today as they arrived for bowling.

President Bill Hunter told the Evening Press the club would be open as normal today, adding: "We are trying to keep things running, as he would have wanted."

Mr Little was well known in bowls circles, locally and nationally, for his role at the Indoor Bowls Club and his work as organiser of the City of York Open Bowls tournament and as area representative for the England Indoor Bowls Association.

Bill Hunter paid tribute to the efficiency of Mr Little during his nine years at Thanet Road.

"He virtually lived for bowls and I think the club was not just a job to him. It was more than that and the hours he put in were unbelievable. He will be a hard man to replace," said Hunter.

"I do not think any of us realised the amount of work he did. He was involved in everything, seemed to know everybody by name and was a friend as well as secretary manager."

Mr Little, who also had a love of crown green bowls, was responsible for the running of the club, overseeing the running of the bar and restaurant and the organisation of the bowls.

Said Hunter: "I cannot speak too highly of his efficiency. He was a one off. It was a shock really. He went into hospital for what is more or less an everyday operation to have his hip replaced.

"He died in York District Hospital on Saturday. It has been a bit traumatic. A lot of members coming in today had not found out."

Hunter added that the hip replacement operation was carried out at the Purey Cust Nuffield Hospital and Mr Little was later transferred to York District Hospital.

The funeral is expected to be held at Tadcaster on Thursday, subject to a post-mortem examination due to be carried out today. A spokesman for the coroner's officer said Mr Little had developed respiratory problems following the operation.

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