DANIEL Addyman appears a fit and healthy young man as he walks his dog, Harry, through a village near York.

But only hours after this picture was taken, Daniel's parents found him collapsed on his bedroom floor, after being woken by Harry.

Today the devastated couple, Chris and Catherine, of Shipton-by-Beningbrough, told how they tried to revive Daniel while their eldest son Tim, 31, called an ambulance.

But tragically the 23-year-old had died.

They said Daniel, whose dream had been to carve out a career in motor sport engineering and design, had been prone to fainting after a bad dose of flu five years ago.

He was being treated for low blood pressure, but had never suspected there was anything seriously wrong with him and he had gone to bed as normal last Monday night, after walking Harry.

"We are all devastated," said Mr Addyman. "Daniel had such a bright future ahead of him, he was very focused on his career and gave all and more to engineering and design.

"He'd been struggling to find a job since leaving university, but he never let that deter him and he had a meeting lined up with The Prince's Trust to see if they would help fund him to set up a business.

"He's had a short life, but he's packed a lot into it. It's absolutely shattering that all his hopes and dreams have been dashed; our lives will never be the same again."

Daniel graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a BEng (Hons) in Automotive Engineering on his 23rd birthday, and, together with a friend, was setting up a business to design a racing car for a sports car class in the 750 Motor Club.

Last year he was presented with an outstanding contribution award by Oxford Brookes for his work with the motor racing team in the Formula student event. He also enjoyed playing the guitar.

Mrs Addyman said Daniel had had a focus and maturity beyond his years and a very dry sense of humour.

"Of all his many friends that have contacted us since his death, no one has had anything but good words to say about him."

Daniel's funeral will be held at Shipton Parish Church on Thursday, at 3pm. An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on Friday.

Wayne Nicholson, who taught Daniel design and technology at Easingwold School, said: "Daniel was a very quiet lad, very unassuming but very bright. He certainly had a passion about Formula One and knew what he wanted to do. He was a very nice lad and it is a great loss."

A friend of Daniel's, Steve Reynolds, said: "Dan was passionate about all things cars and motor sport, and knew everything from who won what race to roll centre migration and suspension geometry!

"He was exceptionally bright and had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, which lead him to be technically excellent at everything he turned his hand to. I, however, will always remember Dan as a very dear friend who had a devilishly dry sense of humour.

"The stars were the limit for Dan, and his ambition was matched only by the admiration of those who knew him. He is much loved and will be sorely missed."

Updated: 10:17 Monday, May 24, 2004