A female member of staff at the racing yard owned by ex-Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen has died.
North West Ambulance Service confirmed it had been called to attend Owen’s Manor House Stables in Malpas, Cheshire just before 7.30am with Cheshire Police arriving later.
A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance Service said: “We received at call at 7.26 this morning. We did attend but I am unable to confirm any more details.”
Cheshire Police said in a statement: “At around 8.50am today, Tuesday 28 March, police were made aware that a 25-year-old woman had collapsed at a stables on Old Coach Road, Malpas.
“Emergency services attended the location and, despite the best efforts of all those involved, the woman sadly died at the scene.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and her next of kin have been informed. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Later, the Manor House Stables Twitter account confirmed the death of one of its team at work.
The message, which was posted at 12.26pm, said: "It is with deep sadness that we have to announce that a much valued member of our team died at work this morning.
"The family have been informed and both the family and the team at Manor House request privacy at this time."
Followers of the Stables social media accounts began posting their condolences messages.
Trainers Fergal O’Brien and Graeme McPherson, said: “Thoughts with all involved.”
One said: “Gosh this is absolutely awful news. I am so sorry. Deepest condolences to you all and the family who have lost a loved one.”
While another posted: “So sorry to the family and everyone at MHS! A lovely, pleasant person to have worked with! RIP.”
Manor House Stables, near Malpas in Cheshire, is a state of the art training facility which was created by Owen and his family.
In March last year, Classic-winning trainer Hugo Palmer took over the training licence at the yard, replacing Tom Dascombe, who had delivered a 2014 Irish St Leger victory for Owen with Brown Panther, a horse he also bred.
By the end of the campaign, Palmer had delivered 43 winners in Britain for prize money just shy of £1million.
There are 105 horses in training at Manor House Stables ahead of the new Flat Turf season which is due to begin on Saturday.
During his football career, Owen played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, claiming the Premier League Golden Boot twice and was the last English player to win the Ballon d’Or.
He won the FA Cup, Football League Cup (three times), UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League title and appeared in three World Cups for England, amassing 89 caps, but always had an interest in racing.
“My main passions in life have always been my family and football, but I suppose a close third is horse racing,” he says in his website bio.
“The joy of owning a racehorse is indescribable, from buying them as youngsters, watching them develop and seeing their first visit to a racecourse. I have owned horses for many years and whenever I have time off, you‘ll find me down at the stables!”
