A Selby man was widowed for the second time when his wife died within a few hours of being admitted to hospital.

Father-of-two Dave Clarke is still trying to come to terms with the death of his second wife, Jean, who he married three years ago today at Selby Register Office.

The couple, both members of Selby Lions, were enjoying a new life together when tragedy struck last Thursday.

Mrs Clarke, 51, was due to go into hospital for tests after cracking two ribs in a fall. Her feet had also swollen up during a recent flight to Lanzarote and she was feeling unwell.

But the night before she was due to have the tests, she started vomiting and passing blood at her home, in Sandway Drive, Thorpe Willoughby.

She was rushed into York District Hospital where doctors diagnosed a burst artery. She was given a blood transfusion but died shortly afterwards.

Mr Clarke, 59, a mill operative at BOCM-Pauls factory for 38 years, said: "It was 4.30am when a doctor told me it was a burst vein. Forty-five minutes later she was dead.

"It was a terrible shock and I still can't believe she's gone. I come into the house and still expect her to be sat there.

"We had only been married three years. I sometimes wonder what I've done wrong."

Mr Clarke said he had lost his first wife, Pat, from cancer, eight years ago, while living in York Road, Barlby.

He said: "I had been on my own for two years when I met Jean. She, too, was living alone and it was a new start for both of us.

"We bought a timeshare in Gran Canaria and Jean loved going there. It was also a dream of hers to go to Australia and I took her there as a surprise on her 50th birthday."

The couple were also active members of Selby Bouncers, taking their Springer Spaniel, Jed, along to flyball competitions where dogs compete in relay races.

The funeral will be held at York Crematorium on Friday at 3pm. All donations will go to the Lions' charity.

Updated: 14:09 Wednesday, March 20, 2002