One minute he was scoring a goal playing the game he loved.  The next he was dead. 

Football-mad teenager Edward Reading, known as Awesome Ed, had his whole life ahead of him when he collapsed and died on the pitch. 

Ed, from Warblington, had just found the net for his team South Park in a league match at the Mountbatten Centre when disaster struck. 

Aged just 18, he fell victim to the rare genetic condition sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.   

Now, his family have tried to turn their despair into hope by working with the national charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, to press for more widespread screening for the fatal syndrome. 

Ed's mum Alice Reading, aged 51, of Panton Close, Emsworth, said the tragedy back in July 2007 came out of the blue. 

'He was his usual laid-back, fun-loving self,' she said.  'He left the house with his brother Sean to play football.  After scoring a goal. he just dropped down like a felled tree. 

He not so much complained - just mentioned that evening that he had a slight pain in his chest.  I said I would call the doctor but he said he was fine.  He was never one to let anyone down.' 

A family cousin had also died suddenly for unexplained reasons some 30 years ago, but doctors ruled out a link saying the connection was too distant. 

Both Mr and Mrs Reading, as well as their two other sons, Sean aged 24 and Glenn, 27, have now been tested for the syndrome, known as SADS, but doctors found no evidence of the condition. 

Ed, a student at Oaklands Sixth Form College, was studying for AS Levels in PE, economics and history at the time of his death. 

'Ed was a wonderful son, brother and friend,' Mrs Reading said.  'He was wise beyond his years, very confident and always knew the right thing to say.  He was a true free spirit, full of fun with a wonderful smile.  He really was something special. 

Ed was a huge Pompey fan, he would be so proud of them now seeing how far they've come.  He lived for sport, all sport.  At six foot seven he was known as Awesome Ed; he truly was - and not only in height.' 

Ed's father, Stephen, aged 53, broke down at the inquest this week as he spoke about his son. 

'Our family has been totally devastated by what's happened', he said. 

Coroner David Horsley recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. 

He said: "Ed was a healthy young many and had very little in the way of illnesses across his life.  It seems as thought he was a very special person. 

'Let's hope something good can come of this awful tragedy.'

Why do so many young people die suddenly?

After their teenage son died of sudden death syndrome on the football pitch, Alice and Stephen Reading channelled their grief into raising awareness. 

The couple have been working with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, known as CRY, to highlight the risk of sudden cardiac death and sudden death syndrome in young people. 

'We went to Downing Street to try to raise awareness of the voluntary testing,' explained Mr Reading. 

'If we can save just one other family the grief we've had it'll be worth it.' 

The Readings were in London to attend CRY's launch of a new initiative pushing for voluntary screening in young football players. 

They met the Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport, Andy Burnham, as well as other parents of children and young people who died suddenly while playing football. 

'We would like to find out why nine fit and healthy young people die every week in this country from SADS,' said Mr Reading.  'We may never know what caused this to happen to our wonderful Edward but we will never rest until we find out.' 

Ed's brother Sean and friend Martin Upton ran the London Marathon in his memory this year, raising £4,500 for CRY. 

The charity's founder and chief executive, Alison Cox, said: 'Sudden death syndrome is completely indiscriminate.  Mot people have no symptoms - the first symptom is that you will die.  Ed would have been dead by the time he hit the ground.  It's like a light going out. 

'What our families would like to see is every young person at school being screened.'

Mr and Mrs Reading gave permission for a pathologist at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Dr David Cowlishaw, to take part of their son's heart to one of the country's top experts in the field, consultant cardiac pathologist at Southampton General Hospital, Dr Patrick Gallagher. 

'We believe there are at least 400 deaths each year in the UK which can be attributed to SADS, all in young people aged under 35,' Dr Gallagher said.  'It's very important in terms of the education of other pathologists and increasing the profile of the condition that we can examine the heart.'

Urgent assessment required

Sudden Death Syndrome is an umbrella term used for the many different causes of cardiac arrest in young people. 

The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) provides medical information on the most common causes of unexpected sudden cardiac death. 

National guidelines on arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death say that when there is a young sudden cardiac death, all first-degree relatives should be urgently assessed to see if they are also at increased risk. 

The charity is bidding to increase screening in the hope of avoiding problems before they arise.