'Tom won’t be able to watch England this summer': Stunning new mural commemorates young football player who was killed by heart attack, aged just 23

A new mural appeared over the weekend at the junction of Pottery Lane West and Sheffield Road in Chesterfield.

The caption on the painting, which displays a young football player reads: “This is Tom. He won’t be able to watch England this summer. That dream was sadly snatched away when he died. Each week, 12 young people are lost to sudden cardiac death in the UK.

"Only with your support can we fund the lifesaving scientific research that will help put a stop to this tragic reality. Please donate today. British Heart Foundation.”

The mural, which has been created as a part of a national campaign by the British Heart Foundation, commemorates young football player Tom Henson, from Bolsover.

Tom passed away at the age of 23 after he suffered a cardiac arrest while playing football at Gosforth Fields in Dronfield in July 2018.

The Sheffield United fan and keen gym-goer tragically suffered a cardiac arrest due to an undiagnosed congenital heart condition. Despite the best efforts of his friends, Dronfield Town youth team football coaches, community first responders, ambulance, air ambulance crews and the A&E team at Sheffield Northern General Hospital, Tom sadly died.

Following his sudden death, Tom’s family and friends set up the Tom Henson Charity which has been tirelessly raising funds.

The charity has raised thousands of pounds in his memory to spend on defibrillators to be installed across Bolsover and surrounding areas to give other people the best chance of survival.

His family and friends explained that the reason for raising funds for defibrillators was that for a couple of weeks after Tom's death, they were not sure if one had been used on him. It made them think of where the closest defibrillators were and they realised there should be more of them in the area.

Later it was confirmed that three defibrillators were used on Tom during the two hours that people worked to try to save him, but his heart condition was such that he could not have been saved by a defibrillator.

Anyone who would like to support the Tom Henson Foundation’s efforts can donate online.