A SUPER-FIT sports enthusiast died the way he wanted when he suffered a heart attack on a badminton court.

Eric Sanderson, 64, of Shipton Road, York, died while warming up for badminton at York Railway Institute despite the best efforts of friends and a doctor to revive him.

His widow, Joyce, 61, said today it was an untimely but fitting exit for a man who had developed a passion for badminton during boyhood.

Mr Sanderson had hardly suffered a day's sickness in his life and had travelled in Europe and the UK winning many trophies for the Yorkshire Veterans badminton organisation.

Mrs Sanderson said: "I remember one year when a player died during a Yorkshire Veterans game and Eric said to me, 'that's the way I want to go if I go'.

"But I wish he could have had a few more years because he was only 64."

His son, Paul, 34, said: "It was even better for dad that he wasn't playing a match, because he wouldn't have liked to let his partner down."

Joyce described a loving and thoughtful husband who surprised her with a ruby ring during a trip to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in July.

Eric loved working with young people and one of his greatest achievements was helping the badminton team at York University to rise from the bottom to the top of the York and District Badminton League.

His son, Stephen, 39, said: "He wanted to win all the time but always put a bit of fun into everything. If you got praise you knew you'd earned it. I can remember coming back from a football match where we'd won seven-nil. He asked me how many goals I'd scored and I said four and he asked what happened to the other three."

But Eric had scaled down his coaching as he planned to retire next year from Unidare, in Walmgate, where he was an engineering fitter.

He wanted to spend more time with his wife and family, including grandchildren Sian, seven, and Calum, nine.

Joyce said: "He had never been ill in his life. He's been very lucky and always kept fit and well, this is what's shocked us all."

Eric will also be missed by a large family of brothers and sisters and his friends at Shipton Bowling Club and New Earswick Indoor Bowling Club.

The funeral service is on Tuesday at St Philip and St James Church, Clifton, at 10am, followed by the committal at Fulford Cemetery at 10.45am. Donations can be made to the Yorkshire Badminton Association for the development of youth training.