Boy, 17, dies after amateur boxing match in Derbyshire Published duration 25 March 2017

image copyright Facebook image caption Eddie Bilbey died in hospital after collapsing in the ring

A 17-year-old boy has died after collapsing in the ring at an amateur boxing match.

Eddie Bilbey, from Ripley, Derbyshire, was competing at the Postmill Centre in South Normanton on Friday evening. He died later at Kingsmill hospital.

A Derbyshire police spokeswoman said officers were not treating his death as suspicious at this stage.

A post-mortem examination and formal identification will take place in the coming days.

A friend of the family, who did not want to be named, said Eddie's death had come as a "terrible shock".

He said: "You couldn't have asked for a nicer lad. Clean living and 200% fit."

image copyright Google image caption Police were called to the Postmill Centre in South Normanton following reports a teenager had collapsed

The youngster, who is from a family of boxers, was fighting someone he had fought before and took no "hard punches", he added.

Eddie was a member of Somercotes Elite Boxing Academy and was fatally injured at the tournament, promoted by the South Normanton School of Boxing.

He had just lost to his opponent Tyler Rivers in the East Midlands Welterweight Youth contest when he collapsed on to the ropes, at the conference centre in Market Street.

Tyler Rivers' coach Craig Perkins, from Earl Shilton Amateur Boxing Club in Leicester, said: "Eddie came over and shook both coaches' hands, and when the referee went to raise our lad's hand, Eddie just stumbled forward."

"I have been in boxing 35 years and never seen anyone die."

'Extremely saddened'

He said both fighters had undergone medicals and were wearing head guards.

Police arrived at about 22:17 GMT following reports a youth had collapsed in the ring.

The Board of England Boxing, the sport's governing body, said in a statement the event was sanctioned by them and it has begun an investigation.

It said: "We are extremely saddened... and would like to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved in this terrible and shocking incident.

"We are also asking all of the England Boxing coaches, officials and volunteers that were present on the night to co-operate with the police investigation and assist the authorities in any way they can.

"We will be providing support to people that have been affected by this terrible news."

Police said they were investigating on behalf of the coroner and appealed for any footage of the bout to be made available.