Friends and colleagues of a Police officer who collapsed and died while playing rugby on Sunday afternoon have paid tribute to him as "one of life's nice guys."

P.c. Paul Marsden, 36, fell to the ground shortly after 4 p.m during a match between the Police and Mariners at the National Sports Centre, Prospect.

Fellow players and medics from the St. John Ambulance Service rushed to the stricken fullback's aid, giving him heart massage until an ambulance arrived. He was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, but later pronounced dead.

The cause of his death remained unclear yesterday, although it is not believed to have been due to any rugby-related injury. P.c. Marsden had returned from a weekend trip to New York just prior to heading to Prospect for the game, and it is yet to be established whether his plane journey had any bearing on his subsequent collapse.

An autopsy is due to be carried out in the coming days.

A patrol officer with the Operational Policing Department in Hamilton until a recent move to the Police Training Unit at Prospect, he had joined the Bermuda Police Service in April, 2004. He had previously served as a traffic officer with Thames Valley Police in the UK where he was well-known through featuring on the national reality TV cop show "Crimefighters".

Pc Marsden had worked as a Family Liaison Officer while with Thames Valley Police, through which he helped bereaved families. He also spent time on secondment with the Metropolitan Police in London through which he helped victims of the 1999 Paddington rail disaster that killed 31 people.

Respected within the Bermuda Police Service as a tutor who shared his experience with new recruits, he was a popular member of the Bermuda Police Rugby Football Club.

John Bassett, chairman of the club, said: "Paul was a regular player for the first team. When a team loses an enthusiastic and keen member it is painful. When a team loses a close friend in such circumstances it is unspeakable.

"Paul was a stalwart of the team in many ways, not just in being the last line of defence at fullback. He cleared the lines for his teammates with a smile and a joke, even when the run of play was against him. His commitment and spirit will be missed greatly. The whole club send their most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends."

Mr. Bassett also quoted words of tribute that had been sent to him from some of P.c. Marsden's devastated team-mates.

"He was a dependable and strong team-mate. We enjoyed playing with him at our back and he was a genuine and thoughtful friend," said the players. "He was a quiet man on and off the pitch, but played with silent determination, giving his all when he was on the field."

The rugby team plans to wear black armbands for the rest of the season in tribute to their departed friend, and to retire his number 15 shirt.

P.c. Marsden was just as well thought of by the Police officers who worked alongside him.

Acting Inspector Tracy Burgess was his Sergeant for six months when he was based at St. George's at the beginning of his time in Bermuda.

"He was one of my best friends and he will be sadly missed. He was a brilliant Policeman and a brilliant friend ? one in a million," she said.

P.c. Michael Harkin, also a community beat officer, used to work on the same shift as P.c. Marsden when he first arrived in Bermuda and lived at the same Police barracks in St George's for a time.

"He was an absolutely great guy and was the guy on the shift that everyone wanted to work with as he was a really professional policeman. As a trainer, he really knew his stuff," he said.

"He was a fit guy, playing rugby and going running all the time. He was a six foot two strapping rugby player and not a sickly person at all. He'd just come home from the weekend in New York.

"Everyone thought perhaps he had deep vein thrombosis, but then it was only a two hour flight. His death will remain a mystery until we get the results of the autopsy."

Community beat officer P.c. Justin West ? a British expatriate like P.c. Marsden ? told how he was one of the first Police officers he met after arriving on the Island.

"He turned up at the bar at the barracks, bought the new guys a drink, and told us about what it's like here and how to get on. He made it smoother and was very helpful. He always had a smile on his face," said P.c. West.

P.c. Scott Devine, who lived next door to P.c. Marsden in the Police barracks at Prospect said: "He was an absolute gentleman. He was a very softly-spoken lad, very nice, and very committed. Everyone has said what a terrific officer he was and no one had a bad word to say about him. He was one of life's real nice guys.

"This has been a terrible shock for everyone. A lot of people came up to the Police club on Sunday night to wait for news of Paul and there were a lot of tears. Everyone will remember him fondly."

Inspector Martin Weekes, who was P.c. Marsden's supervising officer until recently, said: "He was an excellent Policeman and a very good tutor to our younger local recruits. He was a popular and very efficient constable."

A Police spokesman said yesterday: "On behalf of the Commissioner of Police George Jackson and the Bermuda Police Service we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of our dear colleague and friend Police Constable Paul Marsden."

P.c. Marsden's family in the UK have been informed of his death, and were yesterday making arrangements to fly to Bermuda.