Family heartbroken after 28-year-old Harry Taylor dies suddenly while walking beloved pet dog Ronnie

A family has been left heartbroken after the sudden death of a 28-year-old man - while out walking his beloved pet dog. Harry Taylor collapsed on Tuesday evening (October 14) - after calling his mum to say he was suffering with chest pains and "couldn't stand up straight".

When he failed to return home, she went out looking for him - only to see a passer-by performing CPR on her son. Only hours earlier Harry, from Grimsby, had completed dozens of lengths during a swim - afterwards complaining of some chest pains, which then subsided.

After taking his dog, Ronnie, out for a walk, he rang his mum and told her they had returned and he was heading home. But he never made it.

His sister-in-law, Danielle Taylor, said: "He called his mum Michelle when he was five minutes from home, saying the pains had returned and he couldn’t stand up straight. His mum said, 'Shall I come and get you?'

"When he didn’t come home, she went out to look for him and found him collapsed on the ground with a passer-by doing CPR."

The plant operative's family has been in contact with the person who tried to help Harry, who has reasured them he was not alone when he passed away - and that his dog stayed with him until the end.

"He loved his dog; he’d only had Ronnie for 10 months," Danielle said. "It was comforting to know Ronnie stayed with him and continuously licked his face.

"The passer-by was absolutely brilliant. She has been in touch since to try to put the family’s mind at rest, saying that Harry wasn’t alone. Everyone did their best. He was in the hospital quickly and everyone tried their best."

A fundraising campaign to help cover funeral costs has topped £9,000. The page said: "Never in a million years did we think we would have to organise a funeral for our beloved Harry Taylor aged just 28 years. He was living his life to the full. He was just getting his future organised.

"Harry was a joker, he was so happy and always smiling. He never had a bad word about anybody. He was a true Grimsby Town supporter, holding a season ticket, and attended every game, home or away. He did no harm to anybody and had no bad habits.

"Harry was an innocent young man who was loved by everyone. Harry’s family and his friends are absolutely devastated. The loss of his life has caused us so much heartbreak and we cannot come to terms with it. So sudden and with no warning. I am setting up this page to try raise as much money to give Harry the most amazing send-off that he so deserves. RIP Hazza."

A one-minute applause was set to be held in the 23rd minute of the Grimsby Town v Gillingham match today (October 18), as that was Harry’s favourite number. The day before, Danielle said: "We’re all going tomorrow with our Town shirts on and with Harry and 28 on the back, his age.

"We’re hoping to spread the message far and wide to get the momentum going and get everyone at Blundell Park roaring for him on the 23rd minute."

Harry leaves his parents, Michelle and Steve, brother Jack, and two younger brothers, Riley and Leo; he also had a late sister, Ellis, who died when she was just eight days old.