A 48-year-old chef died of a suspected heart attack while out jogging yesterday morning.

Hubert Rozario, who has worked in the main kitchen at the Southampton Princess for the last few years, was running at around 7.30 a.m. when he was seen by a member of the public to stagger and then collapse.

Emergency services were called and he was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Mr. Rozario, who had been working on the general clean-up at the flagship hotel since its closure due to Fabian damage, was set to return to his native Bangladesh on Thursday for the winter.

The chef was to take advantage of the hotel's pay offer to staff, whereby expatriate workers could return home during the hotel's closure, with their airfare paid by the company, and would receive a $1,000 payment on their return.

"We were all shocked and saddened by the news," said hotel manager Allan Trew.

"Mr. Rozario had been a chef in our main kitchen for at least two years. He was a well-liked gentleman and he will certainly be missed.

"He went out for his morning jog and it appears he suffered a heart attack on Middle Road."

Mr. Trew added that a memorial service would be held at the hotel for Mr. Rozario in the near future.