A TEACHER, trades union official and diver has died after suffering a heart attack on the M1 near Chesterfield as he drove back from a union meeting in Birmingham.

Stephen Davies, 54, worked at Holgate School for 32 years. He taught woodwork and metalwork, later known as design technology, and information technology.

He was secretary of the local National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers for 21 years after taking over from his father Cyril. He spent two years as president of the union's West Yorkshire Federation.

His father and three sisters were in the teaching profession and he met his wife, Jill, at training college.

In his early teens, Mr Davies, of Bradwell Avenue, Dodworth joined Barnsley Sub Aqua Club at Race Street baths and qualified as a diver before he was old enough to dive in the sea.

He resumed diving after a gap when his children Katie and Robert were young and, after qualifying at the highest level, tested other divers. Katie, who is at university in Preston, and Robert, a sixth former at Penistone Grammar, are qualified divers.

Last summer, Mr Davies was the first British diver to visit the wreckage of a Beaufighter plane shot down in World War Two off the Greek island of Naxos. He, an Italian and a Greek had a reef off the island they discovered named the Anglo Italian, Helenic Reef in their honour. It can be seen on the website wwwnaxosdiving.com.

Mr Davies was a football referee and often officiated at Sunday matches when his son was playing for Dodworth Juniors and The Longbow, Darfield.

He played for Barnsley Rugby Club between 1971 and 1973 and cricket for Dodworth and Rockingham Cricket Clubs. He and his wife were season ticket holders at Oakwell.

He attended St Edwin's Junior School and Raley School and was a sixth former at Holgate. He was a cub and venture scout as a youngster.

Latterly, he and his son had restored old Minis.

Funeral is at 12noon on Monday at St John the Baptist Church, Dodworth followed by a service for family members only at Ardsley Crematorium. A gathering and celebration of his life is at the conference centre of the Bluebell Hotel, Dodworth at 2pm.