Twins die in same way years apart

The brothers, pictured here as teenagers, died playing cricket

Twin brothers have died of the same rare heart condition in exactly the same manner 12 years apart.

Richard Lightwood, 27, of Rugeley, Staffordshire, collapsed from the condition on Saturday playing cricket, just as his brother Andrew did in 1994.

His twin, Andrew, died while batting for a junior side at the age of 14.

The boys' mother, Angela, of Kings Bromley, spoke of her "total disbelief" and devastation at their deaths from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Richard Lightwood was bowling for his local cricket team when he collapsed.

I'm not going to become an invalid. If I've got it, they're not going to stop me doing my sports Richard Lightwood

His medical condition prevented the heart from filling up with blood properly and blocked the blood flow.

Mrs Lightwood, who also has a daughter, Nicola, said: "It is total disbelief.

"It shouldn't happen once, yet alone twice."

After his brother's death in 1994, Richard was placed under the care of a London specialist after tests revealed he also had the condition.

'Caring' man

Mrs Lightwood was told there was a one in 14 million chance of Andrew dying as a result.

"We have lived with the possibility of Richard dying for 12 years but lightning doesn't normally strike twice, does it?" she said.

Richard, who was a trainee electrician and lived with his girlfriend, was a qualified fitness instructor and had completed the Great North Run two years ago.

"He was a fit, lovely, warm and caring man," Mrs Lightwood said.

"He used to say 'I'm not going to become an invalid. If I've got it, they're not going to stop me doing my sports. If I've got it like Andrew did, then so be it'."