FANS, players and officials at one of York's biggest rugby clubs were today mourning the death of a popular stewardess in a tragic fall.

Pamela Milbourn, 43, who has played a major voluntary role at Heworth Amateur Rugby League Club for the past 18 years, died at her home in nearby Laburnum Garth, off Malton Road, just after midnight yesterday.

Her shocked and traumatised partner, former Heworth player and chairman Rod Skelton, told today how she had just returned from a girls' night out when tragedy struck.

He said he had been in the sitting room when she went to go upstairs.

She had just climbed a few stairs when she fell backwards and badly injured her head, apparently fracturing her skull. He had then called an ambulance.

He was still stunned by what had happened. "It hasn't sunk in yet," he said, adding that Pamela was a very fit and healthy person, who regularly went swimming and down to the gym.

He said she had worked behind the club bar and helped out in a variety of other ways, such as taking the bookings for private functions. "She was a very popular person."

Before the accident happened, he and Pamela had been responsible for organising two coaches to take supporters to the club's Kelloggs Nutri Grain Challenge Cup game yesterday at Batley.

Almost 500 fans from both Heworth and Batley Bulldogs observed a minute's silence before the match.

Club spokesman Ken Sykes said there was a real sense of shock at the club.

"She has been a superb club member," he said. "It's pretty hard to believe."

Rod said Pamela had worked as assistant manageress at Johnson Cleaners in LowOusegate, where she used to laugh and chat with customers including Look North's Harry Gration.

An employee there said that the shop's regular staff had been shocked by the news and given compassionate leave today, with the shop staffed by Johnsons employees from other branches.

A York Coroner's officer said today that an inquest would be held into Pamela's death, which followed an incident at her home. He stressed that there were no suspicious circumstances.

Updated: 12:51 Monday, January 28, 2002