A dad has paid tribute to his ‘perfect son’ who died suddenly, aged 30.

John Wilkins died after complications with a rare heart condition at the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Thursday, October 22.

The car mechanic had woken feeling unwell and on the advice of doctors, who believed he may have been suffering the effects of low blood pressure, went to hospital.

John, of Cornwall Road, Rishton , underwent open heart surgery six years ago after he was diagnosed with a rare heart condition and regularly had checkups with specialists.

His shocked dad Leonard Wilkins, 56, of Maple Crescent, Rishton said that when he arrived at the hospital with his son’s partner Alison Hitchen, John was sat up in bed talking to hospital staff.

He said: “John was being polite as ever when we arrived. He looked unwell but we didn’t think it was serious.

“After having medication he started to get some of the colour back in his face and an X-ray showed that it could be a chest infection.”

Leonard began sending messages of reassurance to worried relatives, but tragically John soon began to feel ill again.

Leonard continued: “Within five minutes everything went upside down, it was terrible. John started shaking and the crash team ran in and we were asked to leave. They came out and said that they had got an output back, at this point I called John’s mum who lives in Texas to tell her what was happening.

“While I was telling her, my wife came and got me and said that I was urgently needed back inside.”

Leonard said that he was told by hospital staff that John’s heart was very weak and that he and his family should ‘say goodbye’ while they could.

He said: “We all went in and told him how much we loved him. We stayed with him for two hours. It was a horrendous day.”

Leonard said his son, a former St Christopher’s High School pupil, would be sorely missed by all.

He said: “John was the perfect son, he was funny and loving and always had a smile on his face. His brother Daniel said that he had never ever fallen out with him, that’s the kind of person he was.”

John leaves dad Leonard, stepmum Lynn, mum Lea, brother Daniel and partner Alison. He was also grandson of Brenda and John, Patricia and the late Joe.

A funeral for John will take place on Friday, November 6 at 1.30pm at Pleasington Crematorium.

Funeral director: Champs Funeral Services.