Almost £6,000 has been raised for a church, in memory of a 35-year-old who collapsed and died near Thames Ditton station.

James Williams, from Thames Ditton Island, died on March 19. Following a flood of messages from loved ones, his family requested people made a donation to St Nicholas Church, which Mr Williams liked.

Mr Williams moved into a house next door to his brother Craig Williams and his family after he fell in love with Thames Ditton from previous visits to the area.

Craig said: “We had our daughter christened in St Nicholas Church last year and James had commented how much he liked the church and how it was very similar to the churches in our village in Wales.

“Friends, family, colleagues and neighbours all wanted to send flowers or make donations so we decided that in place of this we would start a Just Giving page with the worthy cause being St Nicholas Church in Thames Ditton.”

Donations have passed £5,500 and the family aims to reach £6,000. Reverend John Silk, from St Nicholas Church, said the reaction was unprecedented.

Craig said: “James’s friends and family will all remember him as someone who was always smiling, someone who made other people’s lives better, he enriched our lives just by being there and the void in all our lives is immeasurable.

“He had loved moving to Thames Ditton, the village reminded him of Wales where he grew up with friendly people, beautiful scenery, the river and some great places to eat and drink.”

James studied at Swansea University, going on to work as an oil broker. He also co-founded supercar experience Vmax with his brother.

At Mr Williams’ inquest on Friday, pathologist Dr Michael Heath said the cause of death was sudden cardiac death with a morphologically normal heart, resulting in cardio respiratory arrest.

Due to the genetic link with the condition, he advised the family members to get tested and said a possible sign of the issue was a “fluttering feeling in the heart”.

His older brother and mother were at the inquest and told to Dr Heath Mr Williams had never complained of problems with his heart.

On March 19, Linda Mears was on her way to work at Clubland Playscheme at Thames Ditton Infants School when she spotted Mr Williams on the road.

Mrs Mears rushed to Mr Williams, who was lying just off the pavement.

She said: “The left side of his face and ear, which were exposed, were blue.

“I shook him but there was no response. By this time I was on the phone to the ambulance. He was not breathing, but there was a bit of a noise. My instinctive feeling was that he was not alive.”

Two passing builders also tried to help but Mr Williams was pronounced dead at St George’s Hospital on March 19.

The coroner ruled Mr Williams died of natural causes.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/james-jamie-jamma-williams.