Cambridge mayor Nigel Gawthrope 'suffered cardiac arrest'

Nigel Gawthrope was a popular figure in Cambridge

The mayor of Cambridge died after suffering a cardiac arrest while scuba-diving in South Africa, according to a spokesman for the emergency services.

Nigel Gawthrope, 61, complained of feeling ill after surfacing from the water near Durban on Friday.

Netcare911's Shawn Herbst said fellow divers performed CPR on Mr Gawthrope but he could not be saved.

The keen diver, who was elected to Cambridge City Council for Labour in 2012, became mayor in May.

In a statement, Mr Herbst said: "Reports from the scene indicate that a 61-year-old male scuba diver believed to be a British citizen on holiday in South Africa went into cardiac arrest shortly after surfacing.

"Fellow divers had initiated CPR while the dive boat raced back to shore, where CPR was continued by an advanced life support paramedic.

"Despite the best efforts to save the man's life, he was sadly declared dead at the scene.

"Circumstances leading up to the man's death are at this stage unknown, however the South African Police Service were on scene and will be investigating."