THE results of further tests are needed to try to discover what caused the tragic death of a professional footballer from York.

Thomas Staniforth, 20, a Sheffield Wednesday player and the son of York City hero Gordon Staniforth, died suddenly after he collapsed while out with friends in the city on Sunday night.

York Coroner Donald Coverdale, who opened an inquest into the death yesterday, said a post-mortem examination at York District Hospital had not been able to establish a provisional cause of death. Further tests have been carried out and the results are awaited.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed and Mr Staniforth's body was released for the funeral, which takes place at 2pm on Friday, at York Baptist Church in Priory Street, York.

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, August 22, 2001