A DISTRAUGHT Ipswich woman mourning the death of her mother in a care home has been plunged further into despair by the sudden death of her son.

A DISTRAUGHT Ipswich woman mourning the death of her mother in a care home has been plunged further into despair by the sudden death of her son.

Rosie Jay today paid tribute to David, a popular Ipswich Town fan, who died aged 33 from a brain haemorrhage on Monday - just weeks after a distressing inquest into her mother's death.

Mrs Jay, 53, of Westbury Road, said: “We have to go through it all again. We are totally devastated. I ordered my mother's headstone on Friday, my mum's birthday is the day before David's funeral.

“Then we have my birthday and Christmas without my mother and son. I don't know how we shall get through it.”

His father, Jake, added: “You don't think you will have to bury your own child.”

David Jay, who lived with his parents, watched Ipswich Town play at Blackpool last weekend and was staying in a hotel in Manchester when he suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage.

Mrs Jay added: “He didn't know anything about it. It was very sudden. We have had people ringing up crying about it.

“We draw comfort from the fact that so many people loved him. He lived each day as if it was his last.”

Mrs Jay and her family watched her mother, Florence Smith, die in May after she choked on a sandwich at an Ipswich care home.

As revealed previously reported in The Evening Star, Mrs Jay and her family had been demanding answers and called for more staff to be first aid trained.

They had also been mustering the strength to scrutinise a coroner's report into the events surrounding Mrs Smith's death.

The family is inviting people to attend Mr Jay's funeral, which will take place on Friday, November 28 at St Augustine's Church in Ipswich at 10.30am.

Mr Jay's Ipswich Town season ticket and flag will be put in his coffin and he will be cremated at Ipswich Crematorium.

Do you have a tribute for David Jay? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

KNOWN as Flash, David Jay earned his nickname when he started doing odd jobs at a very quick pace.

The 33-year-old was a passionate supporter of his beloved Ipswich Town Football Club and England and he also loved playing the game.

On Sundays, his allegiance had always been with one pub team since he signed for Heathlands United, which later changed its name to the Brickmaker's Arms.

He was also a dab hand on the microphone and was often featured in the Brickmaker's, in Spring Road, at karaoke nights with his rendition of Green Door.

One of Flash's earliest memories of watching Ipswich Town was the Milk Cup semi-final against Norwich City in 1985.

As a Portman Road season ticket holder, he was seen on national television armed with an Ipswich Town flag when commentator John Motson picked him out during a Germany-Croatia match at the World Cup in 1998.

The former Copleston High School pupil also travelled to Portugal for the 2004 European Championships, but the trip turned sour when his England ticket was pick-pocketed.

It didn't stop his commitment and he paid £180 for a ticket to see England in the quarter-final.

Mr Jay, a construction site manager, was also a fan of darts, rugby and cricket, which saw him travel to Australia to watch the Ashes in 2003.

FLORENCE Smith's family were planning to scrutinise a coroner's report into the 88-year-old's care home death when her grandson died.

The retired carer died after choking on a sandwich at the Shaftesbury House care home in May.

An inquest into her death heard how there was only one member of staff working at the time who had basic first aid training.

The revelation left the coroner “deeply troubled” and the family were preparing to study his report and planned to possibly take further action.

But Mrs Jay said they will now put the report to the back of their minds until they can find a time and the strength to re-address the issues.