Friends and family of sports lover Steve Patten-Hall are urged to wear bright colours when they attend his funeral on Tuesday.

His elder daughter Gemma Patten-Hall, 24, paid tribute to her father who died in the early hours of November 18 in Salisbury Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

She said: “He was a wonderful man. He was the sort of person who could just give you a hug and make you feel better. I miss him so much. We want to celebrate his life and won’t be wearing black. We want people to wear bright colours.”

Miss Patten-Hall, who lives in Devizes, is also the mother of Mr Patten-Hall’s only grandchild Tobias, two.

She said: “He absolutely doted on Tobias. He was already talking about buying him a cricket bat and a rugby ball.”

Mr Patten-Hall, 49, a former landlord of the Royal Oak Pub, Marlborough, was a stalwart of both Potterne Cricket Club and Devizes Rugby Club.

His daughter said: “He really lived for his sport. We are expecting it to be standing room only at his funeral as he was loved by so many and helped coach so many youngsters.”

Mr Patten-Hall, who also leaves a wife Abi, son James, 13, and daughter Emily, nine, moved to Wiltshire from Berkshire in 2001 and quickly became involved in sport.

He was taken ill in October and was admitted to Southampton General Hospital with a bleed on the brain. He suffered two strokes but had started to recover and was moved to Salisbury District Hospital.

Miss Patten-Hall said: “We really thought he was going to get better. He had a long way to go but there were big improvements.”

But he suffered a heart attack and died in hospital.

At his funeral the rugby anthem Jerusalem will be played along with the song Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross chosen by his three children.

The funeral service will be held at West Wiltshire Crematorium at 11.30am on Tuesday followed by a wake at Devizes Sports Club in London Road.