MEMBERS of the Essex cricket community are in mourning after the death of a senior league figure, who was among the Britons murdered in Tunisia.

Philip Heathcote, 52, was shot dead during the Sousse beach massacre.

He was on the umpire’s panel for the Two Counties Cricket League, in which a number of north Essex clubs play. His wife, Allison was also shot five times and is fighting for her life in hospital.

Mrs Heathcote, 48, has been league secretary for the last 18 months.

The couple, who were on a twoweek holiday, had been due to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary yesterday.

Steve Isaac, results secretary for the Two Counties League and a committee member of Braintree cricket club, said he learned of the tragic news on Monday.

He said: “The information we are getting is coming from their son, James. James flew out there and made the formal identification of Philip.

“When we saw the footage which they showed on BBC News, we saw a body being carried out on a sun lounger – that was Allison.

“She had been shot twice in the shoulder and three times in her abdomen, but the vital organs were missed.

“The thing we are still not sure of is if they are trying to fly her home. The UK doctors want to fly her home, but apparently the doctors there don’t want to.”

Mr Isaac, of Chelmsford, said Mrs Heathcote was operated on and put into an induced coma which she remains in.

He added: “From the moment we got the first news that Philip’s whereabouts were unknown, we feared the worst.

“It was the news everyone had anticipated.

“He was a nice man, friendly, sociable.

“Allison is a wonderful person, helpful, sociable and bubbly and believed passionately in her cricket.

“Life will never be the same for her again. Everyone wants her to make a full recovery.

Whether she will return to cricket in the future, I don’t know. She doesn’t even know yet about Philip.”

Pat Patel, director of cricket at Frinton and also a committee member of the Two Counties League, said: “It is an absolute tragedy. Touch wood, Allison will come through.”

David Coyle, 32, manager of Clacton Football Club, knew the couple through cricket.

He said: “The incidents are horrible. You don’t realise the gravity until someone dies that you know.”

The couple and their son, James, 24, live in Felixstowe.

A total of 38 people, including up to 30 Britons, died after 23- year-old student Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire on the beach crowded with sunbathers during the resort’s peak tourism season.

His killing spree ended when he was shot dead by police.

The terrorist group Islamic State later claimed responsibility.

Two Counties Cricket League clubs are being asked to hold a minute’s silence in Mr Heathcote’s memory prior to playing this weekend.