A REFEREE is recovering in hospital today after collapsing and suffering a suspected heart attack during a Sunday league match.Peter Forsdike was in charge of the Holbrook Swan versus Northgate and Old Ipswichians match at Gainsborough Sports Centre when he fell to the ground clutching his chest.

A REFEREE is recovering in hospital today after collapsing and suffering a suspected heart attack during a Sunday league match.

Peter Forsdike was in charge of the Holbrook Swan versus Northgate and Old Ipswichians match at Gainsborough Sports Centre when he fell to the ground clutching his chest.

He stopped breathing three times and had to be given mouth to mouth resuscitation by the Northgate goalkeeper before paramedics arrived on scene.

Mr Forsdike was given oxygen before being taken to hospital.

A spokesman for Ipswich Hospital today said Mr Forsdike was in a “quite stable” condition and was recovering in Claydon ward.

The Licensed Trade League Division Two game, which had only been under way for 15 minutes, was stopped and will be replayed at a later date.

Holbrook striker Luke Holmes rushed to Mr Forsdike's aid as he fell.

He said: “I was waiting to take a free kick when the ref said he wasn't feeling well.

“The next thing I knew, he was starting to fall.

“At first I thought he was fainting because it was a warm morning.

“But it looked like a heart attack because he was holding his chest. He looked in a great deal of pain and he could hardly talk.

“We decided to postpone the game because it didn't seem right playing on after something like that had happened.”

Would you like to wish Peter Forsdike a speedy recovery? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk