David Beckham's father has heart attack

James Sturcke and agencies
Thursday September 27, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The footballer David Beckham was rushing back to Britain today after his father had a heart attack.

Ted Beckham, 59, was admitted to Whipps Cross hospital in east London, last night.

The gas fitter, who once dreamed of being a footballer, was later transferred to the Royal London hospital, David Beckham's spokesman said.

David Beckham is due to arrive at Heathrow on a flight from Los Angeles, where he lives, at around lunchtime. He is expected to head straight to his father's bedside. "His father has had a heart attack and is currently being treated in hospital. David is flying back to be with him," the spokesman said. "Victoria is in Japan working, but obviously she has been informed of it and she is concerned."

Ted Beckham is in a stable condition in the London Chest hospital, in Bethnal Green, after suffering the heart attack, a spokesman for Barts and the London NHS trust said.

The Sun website reported that Ted Beckham was taken by ambulance to hospital after complaining of chest pains at his home in Chingford, east London, at 9.20pm yesterday.

The newspaper's website said he was resuscitated by paramedics in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

Ted Beckham, who divorced his wife Sandra in 2002, published a book called David Beckham: My Son in 2005.

David Beckham is the middle of three children; the eldest is Lynne and youngest Joanne. He moved to Los Angeles this summer to begin his new contract playing for LA Galaxy but his season has been hampered by injury.