TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular York rugby league player following his death from a rare form of terminal cancer.

Father-of-three Lee McTigue, 29, was playing National Conference League rugby with York Acorn in April, but was diagnosed with three brain tumours just months later.

He died on Monday at St Leonard's Hospice, in York.

The combative prop forward, originally from Wigan, moved to Pocklington with his family in 1996 and started playing for New Earswick All Blacks. He also played for semi-professional outfit York City Knights, formerly York Wasps.

His father Mick McTigue, who played professional rugby league for Salford, said his son had fought the illness with the same courage he showed on the pitch.

"We never expected it to be so quick," he said. "We expected him to last two or three years, but the cancer was just so aggressive.

"Six weeks ago, he was given two days to live, but he battled through that."

He said: "He was a great bloke who loved his family.

"He was one of those people who would walk into a bar and there'd be music playing and he'd just start dancing - he didn't need a drink to enjoy himself like that. And he could talk the hind legs off a donkey. He was such a fun guy."

He said Lee enjoyed keeping fit and doing DIY. "He was all action - just like he was on the field," he said.

York Acorn coach Alfie Hill said the club had dedicated next season's kit to Lee, with "LM" incorporated into the shirt's design.

The club's Number 8 shirt has been retired in tribute to its former wearer. Alfie said: "The season before last, he picked up a clean sweep in the club awards, winning player's player, coach's player and man of steel. Everyone was aware he wasn't going to get better. You can prepare for this, but it still affects you when it hits.

He continued: "From a coach's point of view, he was a true pack player - a pure Number 8 who never wanted to be off the field.

"He was a committed player and you wouldn't meet a nicer lad off the field. But on the field, that was his domain and he wanted to win at all costs."

Lee got early symptoms of the disease, such as head pains and blurred vision, in April, but doctors thought they might have been caused by an old head injury from playing rugby.

However, they worsened in May and, after having scans, he was referred to Hull Royal Infirmary, where three tumours were identified following a biopsy.

The main one, near the left-centre of his brain, was cancerous, and the other two were offshoots.

Called glioblastoma, it is graded the worst kind of cancer, and the fact it was so central meant it was impossible to remove through surgery.

Lee is survived by his wife Lynne and their three sons, Ryan, eight, Liam, five, and Jack, who is one in January.

His funeral will be held at All Saints' Church, in Pocklinton, on Christmas Eve, at 11am.

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