A MAN has died after being taken ill at a popular car boot sale in York.

The man, who is thought to have been in his 80s, was setting up at Wigginton Car Boot Sale early on Sunday morning (July 3) when the incident happened.

Ken Roberts, who has run the carboot since 1991, said the seller was taken ill at about 7.30am.

Mr Roberts said: "He said that he didn't feel well and I asked if he'd like me to call an ambulance, but he said it had happened before and that he'd be ok.

"I went back to him ten minutes later and he really didn't look very well so I called the ambulance and they were here within ten minutes, but sadly he just passed away."

Mr Roberts said he doesn't know the man's name and he was there on his own.

Police were called to the site and they were able to make contact with the man's family by using his car registration.

"It was very busy, but thankfully he was parked near the entrance so the ambulance could get to him quite easily.

"It was a huge shock when he died," said Mr Roberts.

"And it was a really big shock for the people who had setup next to him. It is very upsetting when something like that happens." 

The car boot takes place on 20 Sundays during the Summer months and runs until mid-September at Home Farm, Corban Lane in Wigginton.