Tributes have been paid to a former golf captain and leading local player following his sudden death, aged 56.

David Grimshaw, from Oswaldtwistle, was a former captain of Accrington and District Golf Club, where he had been a member for more than 40 years, and a former Accrington Observer shield winner.

David died on July 16.

His son Darren said his father’s death came as a shock.

He said: “He was only 56 and he didn’t have anything wrong with him. The post mortem examination was inconclusive.”

Darren said his dad had been feeling unwell all day on the day he died and his partner Ann found him after returning home from bingo.

Darren added: “It’s the last thing you expect. I was sat having my tea and the next thing my phone went to tell me my dad had died. It blew us away, it’s been very hard.”

Darren, 32, said his father won the shield in back to back years in 2007 and 2008.

He said: “I was caddying for him when I was younger and my dad got me into golf and I’ve dipped in and out of it over the years.”

David, who worked for Maudsley Horseboxes in Darwen, served as captain and vice captain of the golf club.

Darren said: “He loved his work, it was a lot of manual labour and he had been playing golf since he was a child.

“He loved playing and made countless friends and he was very proud that he was asked to be captain.

“Only last Monday we took the day off and went golfing together. I’d got him a voucher for his birthday back in April and got to spend some time together.

“It’s strange, it seems like it was meant to be.

“He was a very humble man, he was grateful for everything he had. He was happy with his life and he always got involved and had a laugh, and was the butt of the jokes.”

Paul Wright, secretary at Accrington and District Golf Club, said David’s death was very sad.

He said: “He finished playing about three or four years ago but he was captain of the club in 2010. I knew him very well.

“He was well known and respected, he was a good golfer and we played a lot together.”

David, of Ripon Road, Oswaldtwistle, leaves his children Darren, Ashley and Ben, sister Ann Robinson and partner Ann Smith. His funeral will be held at St Mary’s R.C. Church Oswaldtwistle on Tuesday, July 28 at 10am.

See full obituary on page 16