THE family of a much loved Greenock man who collapsed in church and later died have donated a defibrillator to the community he devoted his life to.

Retired IBM worker and ex-amateur footballer James Houten, 73, was a hugely popular member of the St Andrew's RC Church choir.

Now his devastated family want to save other people's lives in his memory by donating a life-saving public access defibrillator in his memory.

In tribute to James it will be located outside the church so that it can be used by the entire community in an emergency.

His older brother Dan, aged 79, said: "I have no doubt that if this equipment was available at time of Jim’s fatal cardiac arrest then he would have had a chance of survival.

"Our family is numb with shock at his sudden death.

"We agreed that a fitting memorial to Jim would be to provide a public access defibrillator not only for the parish of St.Andrew’s but for people locally in Braeside and Larkfield, which Jim would have wanted."

Devoted grandad James collapsed in church after singing at a mass.

Another quick-thinking member of the congregation stepped in to try to save his life with CPR but sadly James passed away seven days later in the Golden Jubilee Hospital.

A well known figure in the local amateur football scene, James helped with coaching youth teams over the years and loved to watch his grandson John Paul play.

He was also an accomplished singer and, along with his friend Fred Beattie, regulary performed in local nursing homes.

A much loved dad to James and Johnjo, he was devastated when he lost his wife Elizabeth, aged 55, in 2000.

Born near the end of the Second World War, James grew up in Gibshill, in a family of six.

He later moved to Braeside where he lived for 40 years and worked in IBM for 32 years.

James was a keen footballer and played successfully for Gourock Amateurs for a number of years.

He joined the St Andrew's Church choir in 2005 and has given his time generously to charity.

His family joined forces with the British Heart Foundation to donate a the defibrillator to the community.

Jim was one of the founding members of Children in Poverty Inverclyde, a charity which has raised thousands of pounds to send local families on holiday.

Despite taking a step back in the last couple of years to spend more time with his family and enjoy his hobbies, James continued to give generous donations.