Atherstone Ball Game was halted in dramatic fashion today after a steward collapsed inside the event headquarters with a suspected heart attack.

The male steward was taken ill as he went to get a glass of water at Atherstone Conservative Club on the corner of Woolpack Way and Long Street.

The klaxon that normally signals a winning team at the 821-year-old event today tolled for an entirely different reason – with organisers taking an immediate decision to call the game off around 4.20pm.

Ex-Coventry City stars Dave Bennett and Kirk Stephens, who threw the ball in from the upstairs balcony of the club at 3pm, were primed to join in the fun as the event "got serious" around 4.30pm. The ball game normally ends on the stroke of 5pm.

An air ambulance arrived on the scene as the hundreds of spectators dispersed quickly.

A ball game insider said the steward was known to all the committee members.

Police cordoned off the area preventing anyone entering or leaving the club.