AN Atherton footballer has died after being impaled on a fence.

Craig Guest, aged 21, a player with Hindsford, was dashing home from a Manchester shopping trip with two team-mates when he fell on a fence he was climbing over.

The fence pierced his body and he died on Saturday morning in Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Craig's devastated parents, Alan and Sandra, of Hunt Street, Atherton, said: "All we know is that he was taking a short cut and fell on to the railings."

Craig was with team-mates Paul Mason of Tyldesley Old Road and Craig Higgins of Mather Street, both Atherton. The pals were making their way to Victoria Station when they were separated. Paul and Craig Higgins went to look for their friend who they found impaled on the British Rail fence near the Nynex Arena.

Paying tribute to the former Hesketh Fletcher High pupil, Hindsford club chairman John Grundy said: "He was the type of son any father would be proud of."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.