Premiership: 'Boro star's son chokes to death on toy

Middlesbrough footballer Colin Cooper was today mourning the death of his two-year-old son just hours after his team’s FA Cup win over Manchester United.

Finlay Cooper choked on the small toy - or toy part - on Saturday tea-time.

All efforts to revive the youngster failed and he died a short time later.

The 34-year-old defender and his wife Julie have three older daughters.

Boro’s chief executive Keith Lamb expressed his sympathy for the family. ‘‘Everyone at the football club is in deep shock at this tragic news,’’ he said. ‘‘Our thoughts are with Colin, Julie and their family at this most difficult of times.’’

Boro manager Steve McClaren informed Cooper’s team-mates of the tragedy when they reported for training yesterday morning.

As a mark of respect, the session was cancelled.

North Yorkshire Police later confirmed that Finlay had died in hospital on Saturday night despite frantic efforts by his family and medical staff to save him.

A police spokesman said: ‘‘A two-year-old boy by the name of Finlay Cooper was brought to Harrogate District Hospital after choking on a foreign object.

‘‘Despite efforts by the family and emergency staff, including ambulance and hospital personnel, they were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at 6.50pm by doctors at the hospital.

‘‘North Yorkshire Police are not treating the death as suspicious at this time, but we are investigating on behalf of the North Yorkshire coroner to whom the case has been referred.’’

The spokesman said that Finlay’s parents, who live in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, were ‘‘deeply distressed and upset’’ by the tragedy and asked for the media to respect their wish for privacy.