A HEART attack killed a father the day after he celebrated his birthday with his wife and son.

Nigel O'Brien, 47, died at home despite attempts to revive him - after years of problems with angina, asthma and diabetes.

On Monday his wife Priska said she had not bought him a birthday present because he had wanted to wait to choose one.

"We were going to go out shopping because he'd not really decided," she said.

Mr O'Brien, who was secretary of Knutsford Conservative Club, had a heart attack more than 10 years ago and underwent a bypass operation soon after.

The former computer systems technician, who took redundancy from Barclays Bank because of his health, was further diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. But Mrs O'Brien said his condition had not stopped him from enjoying a drink at the Whipping Stocks pub in Over Peover or the Conservative Club's bar in Canute Square.

"Nigel liked his drink and his absolute favourite was the lager," she said.

"He always said that life was not worth living if you're not doing what you like."

Mr O'Brien was born in Knutsford to Betty and Dennis, who was also a Conservative Club member, and he attended St Vincent's School.

He became friends with Priska at South Trafford College while studying for his A-levels, but they might never have met. She was in a different class and only joined his group because her timetabled English lessons clashed with another subject.

"It would have been highly unlikely that we would've met otherwise," she said. "It was sheer fluke."

Nine years later the couple married after she had left Manchester University and they settled in Warren Avenue, Knutsford.

The couple enjoyed travelling, including visits to Corfu and Mrs O'Brien's family in Switzerland, and they honeymooned in Egypt.

"The best thing was when we took a trip around Cairo neighbourhood and got lost," she said.

"We suddenly realised all the streets looked the same and it took us two and a bit hours to find our way back."

Mr O'Brien was cremated at Altrincham Crematorium last week with donations sent to the East Cheshire Hospice.

amccreaddie@guardiangrp.co.uk