A FORMER Clarets favourite has spoken about the tragic death of his youngest son and said: "No words can describe the horrendous pain we're going through."

Jonathon Waldron, 26, died after choking on food at his home in Italy. His death came a year after he moved to Naples with his partner, Karen Johnson to teach English.

His father Colin, a member of the Burnley side which clinched the 1972/1973 Second Division title, flew out to Naples after hearing of the tragedy, and returned to England yesterday.

Colin, 54, said: "I am sure there are quite a lot of people and parents who have gone through what we are going through and they will say what I am thinking.

"There are no words that can describe the horrendous pain.

"It is just a case of battling through and having friends and family around you."

Colin now runs a bookmakers, Waldron Racing in Bradley Hall Road, Nelson, and lives in Cliviger with wife, Jenny.

He paid tribute to his son and his partner Karen. The young couple had, he said, made many friends after starting their new life in Italy.

"They were both highly regarded in Italy. They both went out there and very quickly established themselves and earned the respect and admiration of all their students, particularly Karen as she had been a teacher in the past.

"It was a little harder for Jonathon, he had to work at it, but they did have many friends out there. So much so they regularly socialised with the people they taught.

"It gave them a lifestyle they coveted and tragically that has been cut short."

Jonathon was the couple's youngest son and had an elder brother Nicholas, 29.

A Burnley Football Club spokesman said its thoughts were with the family.