Rugby player Danny Jones' widow Lizzie Jones collects MBE in his memory

Lizzie Jones said she was "still emotional" after receiving her MBE for her services to rugby league football and charity

The widow of a rugby league player who died from an undiagnosed heart problem says she is determined his death will not be in vain after collecting an MBE.

Lizzie Jones, 39, established the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund following her husband's death during a Keighley Cougars match in May 2015.

Mrs Jones was honoured for her services to rugby league football and charity after helping to raise almost £200,000.

The singer said she was "still emotional" after receiving the award.

Mr Jones, 29, collapsed while playing in a game against London Skolars. He died from cardiomyopathy, which could have been diagnosed by an echocardiogram screening.

Ms Jones said collecting the award from the Princess Royal was "almost like a climax of everything I have done in Danny's memory"

Mrs Jones collected the award from the Princess Royal at a ceremony in Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

"I said to the Princess Royal that there is nothing I can do to bring him back but what I can do is to try and change the future in his memory and hopefully try and stop it from happening to somebody else's husband or son by getting them checked," she said.

"If Danny had that screening, he might have been saved.

"It is just a wonderful thought that a lot of people have been saved because of him.

"The defibrillators are there in case the worst happens, and people are protected because of him."

Danny Jones died in 2015 when his twins were five months old

Mrs Jones said their six-year-old twins call their late father their "guardian angel" and she felt her husband was "probably looking down on her" and thinking she was "doing something so positive and making our children proud hopefully".

The widow has undertaken a number of events to raise funds including marathons and 10k runs. She has also sung at numerous sporting events including the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.

Her charity work has helped change the rules within rugby league to ensure all semi-professional players receive an annual cardiac screening.