Girl, 15, dies during rounders game

A teenage girl collapsed and died during a game of rounders.

Nicola Payne, 15, became ill in a PE lesson yesterday at Angley School in Cranbrook, Kent. She was taken to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford but doctors were unable to revive her.

Pupils at the specialist sports college were told of her death at an assembly. Her shocked friends paid tribute to Nicola, who was from the village of Horsmonden. Tammy Blunt, 14, told BBC South East Today she would be remembered as “a really good dancer and singer”. Rhys Vausden, 15, said she was “happy, lively, and cheerful”.

Others described her as a “huge” Justin Bieber fan. One tweeted the pop star saying: “today my friend nicola payne died. She was your biggest fan, please just tweet about it ... she would have loved it. ”

Kent police are investigating the death but said there were no suspicious circumstances. A post-mortem examination will be carried out.