ANDREW Crawford, who has died aged 40, was a cricket club chairman, volunteer youth cricket coach and football enthusiast who was 'devoted to his family'.

More than 200 family, friends, colleagues and team mates attended a celebration of his life at Bladon Parish Church, many standing outside the small church listening to the service on specially-installed speakers.

Mr Crawford was a popular and respected figure at Stonesfield Cricket Club, where he held positions of chairman, groundsman, player and youth coach.

He was also senior groundsman at the Oxford University Sports Department and advised Oxford United and Abingdon United football clubs.

His sister Jo Luke said the countless tributes to him recalled his 'humour, kindness, generosity of time, and beaming smile'.

Known to friends as Andy or Crawf, Mr Crawford was born at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, on September 2, 1976, and spent most of his life in the local area, mostly living in Bladon.

He attended Marlborough School in Woodstock where he excelled at sport, playing ten seasons for Woodstock Boys FC, which was managed by his father Don and refereed by his mother Pam.

He was also picked to play for the Mid Oxon inter-school football team, won a week-long residential scholarship to Eton College, and was selected numerous times for Oxfordshire Youth Cricket.

At senior level Mr Crawford played football for Ardley and Stonesfield and cricket for Begbroke, Kidlington, Minster Lovell and Stonesfield Cricket Clubs.

His working career started at Witney Lakes Golf Course as an assistant greenkeeper.

He then worked for English Landscapes, Oxford University Sports Department, Radley College, and in 2005 became head groundsman at Bloxham School.

During his career Mr Crawford also worked and advised at Abingdon and Oxford United football clubs and Begbroke, Minster Lovell, Kidlington, Deddington and Stonesfield cricket grounds.

Most recently he had taken courses through Oxfordshire MIND, worked at Bridewell Organic Gardens, Restore Oxford and was working with Oxfordshire Recovery College as a mentor to others.

His sister Jo Luke said on behalf of the family: "Andrew was an extremely talented, popular and respected figure at Stonesfield CC and his massive contribution to the club as chairman, groundsman, player and volunteer youth coach will be greatly missed."

Mr Crawford died on May 18 while living in Stonesfield.

Tributes at the service to celebrate his life were given by his children Daisy and Finlay, his father Don, his sisters Jo and Christine, nieces and nephew and his friends.

His sister added: "We have been extremely moved by the countless tributes to Andrew most of which comment on his sense of humour, kindness, generosity of time, and beaming smile, they show just how many lives he touched.

"It will be impossible to forget someone who gave all of us so much to remember."