A BRIDE-to-be's joy turned to anguish after her fiancé suddenly collapsed and died.

Former Birchencliffe man Christopher Small died aged 29 from a pulmonary embolism, a condition that usually affects older people.

His death following a deep vein thrombisis came on his mother's birthday and just two months after he got engaged to American Molly Hillstrom.

The couple were due to marry next year and forge a new life in the USA.

Many of Christopher's friends in Huddersfield did not even know he was engaged.

He was going to celebrate with Molly and them at a party in his home town next month.

Now his mother, Janet, has talked about the tragedy and her son's love of travelling, which led him to visit America extensively.

He had returned to his London home in mid-November after a trip to Alaska and his death shocked family and friends.

A graduate on the threshold of a new life in America collapsed and died in a Christmas tragedy.

Christopher Small - who had just become engaged to an American woman, Molly Hillstrom - died on his mum's 61st birthday.

Christopher - who lived in Birchencliffe for many years - had wished his mum, Janet, a happy birthday just hours before his death.

He died from a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot on the lung, caused by deep vein thrombosis.

Christopher lived in Lewisham, south east London, and had worked for computer firm Easynet for the last seven years, after graduating from Huddersfield University with an honours degree in computing and business.

Janet said: "Christopher travelled a lot in America which is where he met Molly, who comes from Washington. He'd even been to Alaska recently and only returned back to the UK in mid November.

"He phoned me in October to say he had just got engaged, but we decided to keep the news a secret up here until early January when Molly was due to come over so they could celebrate with a party."

Janet had never met Molly and first spoke to her on the phone after Christopher's death.

Molly had visited Christopher, 29, in London for three weeks in October and he proposed to her on a trip to Brighton.

Janet said: "He told me he proposed in the traditional way and went down on one knee on Brighton beach.

"The only consolation we can have was that he was happy just before he died.

"In fact, he was thrilled to bits when she said `yes'.

"Although he was only 29, he had travelled widely and done more in his time than many do who live a lot longer."

He said Molly's mother broke the news to her.

The couple had planned to live in America and Christopher was starting to sort out a visa and other paperwork.

They would probably have married in the middle of next year.

Christopher died on December 19 shortly after phoning his mum to wish her a happy birthday.

He left his home to go somewhere, but collapsed on the pavement.

Janet said: "An off-duty paramedic saw him go down and rushed to help until an ambulance arrived.

"I spoke to the doctors at Lewisham Hospital and they said they worked on Christopher for an hour, but were unable to do anything for him.

"It's been a terrible shock that's come out of the blue."

She added: "Christopher was a quiet, shy person who always worked hard right from infants school.

"They clearly thought a lot of him where he worked."

She said every Saturday morning his father, John, used to take him to Lindley Library to get a new book to read when he was a child.

"He was always asking questions and had a very inquiring mind," she said. "Christopher always loved books and music, especially heavy rock."

Christopher used to attend Lindley Infants School before moving on to Lindley Junior and then Salendine Nook High.

He leaves a 34-year-old sister, Helen. The family used to live in Belton Grove, Birchencliffe, before Mr and Mrs Small divorced.

Mr Small lives in Longwood and Janet lives with her partner, Michael Reid, in Halifax.

* Christopher's funeral will be held at Park Wood Crematorium in Elland next Tuesday at 1pm.

* Christopher died from a pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis.

* DVT is a condition of the circulation system where blood passing through the deepest veins in the calf or thigh moves so slowly it forms a solid clot, which becomes wedged in the vein.

* If a piece of that clot breaks off and travels through the body it can become trapped in the lung, causing severe breathing problems and sometimes death.

* DVTs are rare in young people. Christopher was also very unlucky because only one in 10 people who suffer a pulmonary embolism die as a result.