Our coverage of the day has now drawn to a close - thank you for joining us as we covered the tributes to Rob Burrow following his death aged 41.

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Today, we've heard from some of Burrow's family, as well as Kevin Sinfield and former teammates.

Hundreds of people have been to Headingley Stadium, where Burrow played for Leeds Rhinos, to pay their respects.

Building work also began on a new MND centre in Leeds, named after Burrow and paid for through fundraising.

Tonight, a special documentary will air on BBC One at 20:30 BST titled 'There's Only One Rob Burrow' and features a message he recorded only for use after his death.

Radio Leeds will be airing an hour-long special looking back at Burrow's sporting career - you can find that here to listen live or afterwards.

Calum Leslie
BBC Newsbeat

Rob Burrow’s bravery in sharing his life after being diagnosed with MND was of huge comfort to Jess Daubeny, from Brighton, who lost her mum to the condition in 2019.

“Suddenly, I just felt totally seen and understood,” she says.

Image source, Jess Daubeny

She was 17 when her mum was diagnosed and remembers how her parents broke the news.

“Don’t Google it – that’s all they said,” she tells BBC Newsbeat.

“We went and Googled it and then you see that two-year prognosis… I don’t know how you ever read something like that and don’t just spiral.”

We've been speaking to her following Burrow's death.

Even though her mum died before Rob’s campaign to raise awareness, she says his legacy has helped people better understand the condition which had devastated her family too.

“To feel like you are not the only one going through this was incredibly comforting and so brave.”

The word 'inspirational' is overused, especially when people are ill.

But for Rob Burrow it was apt: faced with a devastating diagnosis he chose to defiantly show the world what life with motor neurone disease was really like, and so brought attention and funding to a disease that few people knew about.

But even before his MND campaigning, Rob was a legendary figure in the rugby league world. He played his whole career at the Leeds Rhinos, and the fans adored him.

At Headingley last night, within a couple of hours of his death being announced, they had turned out - leaving flowers, photographs, shirts and cards.

Rob’s influence goes beyond rugby league, though - not just to the wider sporting world where he linked up with other MND campaigners like the footballers Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart, but to the wider community too.

His face, and his legacy, are everywhere: on the wall outside Seacroft Hospital, where a new MND centre is being built, on a mural outside Leeds Beckett University, and, of course, on the hall of fame at Headingley.

Yorkshire took Rob Burrow into their hearts, I think, because he offered hope in a seemingly desperate situation.

He taught us how to live and love with purpose through the greatest adversity.

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Leeds Rhinos' players from both Burrow's generation and the current crop have been quietly observing the increasing number of tributes supporters have left for the star at Headingley.

Speaking to Radio 1's Newsbeat, 24-year-old Rhinos player Harry Newman, said: "I think there’s only one way to describe Rob and that’s an absolute legend.

"I learnt a lot (from) him and he helped me coming through. He’s inspired thousands and thousands of people in rugby but also the rest of the population.

"He always used to say to me to just be myself, to go out there, to express my talent, go out on that field and do what you’ve always done growing up as a kid.

"Rob’s done that his whole life, even when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

"Everyone probably wrote him off for the size he was, when he came through but look at his achievements.

"Just proves work hard, express your talent and you can achieve anything."

A 30-minute documentary, titled 'There's Only One Rob Burrow', will air tonight on BBC One at 20:30 BST.

The documentary, which is a tribute to Burrow's life, includes a message he recorded only for use after his death.

The death of Rob Burrow, four years after his diagnosis, has prompted lots of questions about the devastating disease motor neurone disease (MND) and the search for a cure.

The BBC's health team has been looking at what the disease is and answering some of your questions about it.

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What is MND?

MND affects nerves found in the brain and spinal cord, which tell your muscles what to do.

Progression of the disease can be rapid - more than half of those affected die within two years of being diagnosed.

How do you get MND?

It is a relatively rare condition - about 5,000 adults in the UK will have the disease at any one time.

Scientists are not sure what causes MND, but it is likely to be a combination of the genes - or biological traits - you get from your parents when you are born, and other factors.

Image source, Reuters

What are the first signs of the disease?

MND affects everyone differently - it can progress at different speeds too.

Some of the most common signs are:

• muscle weakness and cramps
• stiff joints
• problems with how you speak
• issues with swallowing, eating and drinking
• weakened coughing

You can find out more about MND here.

BBC Radio Leeds rugby league commentator James Deighton shared his memories of Burrow this morning.

"Rugby league and the wider world has lost an absolute warrior," Deighton said on X.

"It's been a privilege to witness Rob's unrivalled fortitude on and off the pitch."

In May, Burrow was still picking up awards - this time for his 'Rob Burrow Seven Meets....' podcast series which was produced by Radio Leeds.

The show, which also features his wife Lindsey, included insightful interviews with a clutch of sporting A-listers, including Wayne Rooney, Jonny Wilkinson and Dame Kelly Holmes.

The podcast won gold awards for best new podcast and creative innovation at the Radio Academy's Audio and Radio Industry Awards (Arias) and the couple were there to collect them.

You can listen to the podcast here.

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Rob Burrow was "a hero to so many", his former teammates have said on social media.

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Jamie Peacock, who played for Leeds Rhinos and England alongside Burrow, said he was "an inspiration to us all".

"The world outside of rugby league got to witness first-hand your courage, bravery, grit and sense of humour in the most difficult of situations in your inspirational battle with this brutal disease."

Barrie McDermott said Burrow's humour was one of the main things he would remember about him.

"The world will never forget Rob Burrow he is a hero to so many people and an inspiration to all who were lucky enough to meet him or came across his story on and off the pitch.

"He made me dance like MJ & run when I hate doing both but mainly he made me laugh out loud.

"He was brave beyond words in these last few months he has taught me so much about courage, kindness and love."

The former rugby league player, who was diagnosed with MND in 2019, has died at the age of 41.

Elizabeth Conway
BBC Newsbeat sports reporter

I’m here at AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium in Leeds, where rugby fans and locals are leaving tributes to Rob Burrow.

It’s silent as people gather to pay their respects. Some young fans are emotional, crying as they leave their tributes.

“He was our hero. He was the heart and soul of the game. He meant everything to us,” one local fan, Bev, said.

Another fan at the site, Josh, said: “Everything he did for research and awareness was incredible. We will all miss him.”

Kevin Sinfield is here quietly paying respects and Rob’s family and parents have just laid flowers. They are wearing their hoodies, campaigning to find a cure for MND.

People gave a round of applause as his parents arrived.

Now, each of the Leeds Rhinos players are here and are greeting Rob’s mum with hugs. They have all gathered around the memorial in tribute.

We've been hearing from Kevin Sinfield this afternoon, who's been speaking to the BBC about his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow.

He said it was a "really sad time for everybody", with the Burrow family being "courageous" and attending a ground-breaking ceremony for a new MND treatment centre this morning.

"Then to come here today and see some of the fruits of Rob's work, he was so proud of this and we've heard they're going to try and build it in record time now, because that's what Rob did, he broke records.

"He wanted people to have a better outlook on life, he wanted people to have hope, he wanted to find a cure for this disease," he added.

He went on to say Burrow was "superhuman, superman", up against some of the biggest rugby league players of his generation.

"You'll see we're pretty heartbroken this morning but he was a special guy," he added.

Speaking to the BBC, Kevin Sinfield said Rob Burrow's death "is pretty raw still."

"He'll leave a massive hole," Sinfield said.

They were teammates and close friends, and raised millions of pounds for MND research together after Burrow's diagnosis.

"What's really important is that Rob Burrow continues to live forever and I'm sure the MND community and everyone who supported us previously will make sure that Rob's name is at the forefront of everything we do going forward."

Image source, Wakefield Council

The clock tower at Wakefield Town Hall will be lit up this evening in blue and orange, the colours of the MND Association, as a tribute to Rob Burrow.

Wakefield Council said the tribute is "in recognition of his achievements, and the incredible work he did to support charities and raise awareness of the disease."

Burrow was born in Pontefract, which is in Wakefield district.

Councillor Denise Jeffery, council leader, said: “Rob Burrow CBE was an inspiration to people right across our area and around the world."

Burrow was honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022, which is given for “outstanding achievement in the face of adversity”.

Accepting the award, he paid tribute to his "MND hero" Doddie Weir and thanked his family for their support.

His former teammate Kevin Sinfield received a special BBC award for his fundraising, after he ran seven ultra marathons in seven days in November 2022 to raise money for MND research.

Rob Burrow would be looking down as the initial building work takes place for the MND treatment centre in his name, his family have said.

Burrow's death was announced yesterday but he had earlier indicated to family he wanted today's ground-breaking ceremony to go ahead.

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"He was asked, and we were all there. There was no hesitation, he wants it to go ahead today," mum Irene told the BBC, external.

The sooner it could be built, the sooner people could be helped, she added.

"He'll be watching today and we've pulled ourselves together all of us, because that's what Rob would have wanted.

"It's just amazing to be here today for Rob. We're flying the flag and beating the drum and keep doing it and raising money, and we will get a cure. I'm so proud of him."

Dad Geoff said he hoped the future for people with MND would be "good" thanks to the research and fundraising.

Irene said it was the "second time we've had this bereavement".

"The first time, was the worst day of our lives when he was diagnosed.

"And yes, we're going through it now, but he's out of pain now and we're flying the flag. Onwards and upwards for everybody," she added.

Leeds Rhinos rugby league team announced on Sunday their former player Rob Burrow had died.

He had been diagnosed with MND in 2019, two years after retiring from the sport.

But who was the man behind the headlines?

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Burrow had a stellar 17-year rugby league career that included winning eight Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups.

He spent his entire club career with Leeds and made more than 400 appearances between 2001 and 2017, also being capped by his country.

In 2019, two years after retirement, he was diagnosed with MND.

His story was intimately documented, from the 24-hour care he went on to need, to using his pre-recorded voice box to tease his mum as she fed him.

He brought the lives of people living with MND into the spotlight.

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Fundraising for the MND Association followed, with teammate and friend Kevin Sinfield taking on back-to-back ultra marathons to raise money.

Burrow, who was supported by wife Lindsey and the couple's three children, was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for his services to sport and for his work in the MND community.

The pair were awarded CBEs for their fundraising efforts in the 2024 New Year Honours.

Jamie Peacock, a former Leeds Rhinos teammate, told the Today programme about Rob Burrow's courage and legacy.

"He was the bravest and most courageous of us all," Peacock said.

"He has made a difference and he will never be forgotten, and that's the important thing we have to remember today."

Burrow collected eight Super League Grand Final wins during his playing career.

In 2011, he scored what is regarded as one of the greatest ever Grand Final tries to help Leeds Rhinos win against St Helens.

A ground-breaking ceremony for an MND centre in Leeds named after Rob Burrow has taken place this morning.

Image source, Cathy Killick/BBC

The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease is at Seacroft Hospital and will support people who have the disease and their families.

Rob's dad, Geoff Burrow, was at the event alongside other members of the family, as well as Kevin Sinfield.

The ceremony saw people wiping tears from their eyes as the first spades went into the ground.

Image source, Cathy Killick/BBC