An umpire has died after being struck on the head by a ball in a freak accident during a local cricket match.

Alcwyn Jenkins was officiating a game at the St Helen’s ground in Swansea yesterday afternoon when he collapsed after the blow.

The 72-year-old from the Sketty area of the city was airlifted to hospital but died shortly afterwards.

The game between Swansea and Llangennech in Division One of the Antur Insurance South Wales Association was later abandoned.

Witnesses said a batsmen hit the ball to a boundary where a fielder threw it back to the wicket. But Mr Jenkins failed to see it coming at speed and it hit him on the side of the head.

A statement on the website of the South Wales Cricket Association said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic accidental death of umpire Alcwyn Jenkins from an injury sustained on the field of play at St Helen’s today.

“Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

Eddie Blake, a fellow umpire, said Mr Jenkins was “devoted” to the sport. The 59-year-old from Swansea said: “He was one of the oldest umpires and he was a smashing guy; a real character.

“He was very popular on the local cricket scene and welcome in all of the clubs.

“Everybody respected Alcwyn and it is a big, big loss; not just to cricket but also to his family and friends.”

He added: “When I heard the news I was umpiring a match in Port Talbot and I couldn’t believe it when I heard.

“We got a message to say he had been hit by a ball and collapsed.

“Half an hour later somebody came through to say he had died.

“It is just unbelievable. Luckily these things don’t happen very often, if at all.

“I do remember a young lad losing his life in Morriston park when a ball was struck in the air and it hit him on the head but I have never known it in organised cricket.”

Mr Jenkins was a widower whose wife died from motor-neurone disease a few years ago. The couple had a son and a daughter together and grandchildren.

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust said they were called to the cricket ground at 4.35pm and had a rapid response vehicle arrived there a minute later.

She said a helicopter flew Mr Jenkins to Swansea’s Morriston hospital a short time later.

Inspector Bob Nicholls of South Wales Police said: “I can confirm that a 72-year-old man has tragically died following at the St Helen’s cricket and rugby ground in Swansea on July 4.

“A man was umpiring a cricket match between Swansea and Llangennech. The incident happened at approximately 4.45pm. The male was conveyed to hospital and died a short time later.”

He added: “There are no suspicious circumstances and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”