Family and friends have spoken of their ‘absolute shock’ after a dad-of-two collapsed at a restaurant while celebrating his 50th birthday and later passed away.

Mark Riley, formerly of Baxenden, collapsed at Anacapri in Helmshore on Friday night in front of his children Tom, 13, and Katie, 12.

An off-duty police officer, nurse and physiotherapist gave CPR and tried to resuscitate him before paramedics and an air ambulance arrived.

He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he passed away.

The self-employed plumber, who previously worked for both Hyndburn council and Rossendale council, was due to turn 50 on Monday, May 4 and also to fly out for a lads’ week away in Spain.

Carol Riley, who was married to Mark for 10 years before separating, said he was a ‘big loveable chap’ and their children are ‘absolutely devastated’.

The 46-year-old, from Baxenden, said: “They were just at the table and I think one of his last words were ‘I’ll have a Peroni’ which was typical of him.

“We are very grateful to the help people there gave him. It’s just very sad and sudden and we are all in shock. He was a great dad and they are really going to miss him.”

The former Accrington and Rossendale College student, from Haslingden, previously worked as a long-distance lorry driver before setting up his own plumbing and heating business.

His younger brother Martin, 36, from Haslingden, said Mark will be ‘sadly missed’.

He said: “He was out with his children and he just collapsed. They said his heart had stopped but we are still waiting for the post-mortem. He wasn’t ill and it wasn’t an accident so you can’t vent any anger or frustration.

“It’s just total shock and everyone still feels like that a few days later. It must be very raw and confusing for his children as they didn’t get to have a full life with him and was taken away from them so soon.”

Friend Terry Crabtree, 49, from Church, was working with Mark shortly before his death and said ‘he seemed fine’.

The building maintenance worker said: “I can’t understand what happened and is so tragic that it happened when it did. It’s just unbelievable and I can’t get over it.

“He was generous to a fault and always had a smile when he had a pint in his hand.”