Published: 25 November 2005
The football legend George Best died today with his family at his bedside.
The announcement at the Cromwell Hospital in west London came just one day after it was announced that his life was slipping away.
A spokesman said in a statement: ``After a long and very valiant fight Mr George Best died this afternoon in the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital.''
The statement went on: "The thoughts of all staff at Cromwell Hospital are with Mr Best's family at this time."
Best died at 12.55pm, a hospital spokesman said. He spent his final hours in hospital surrounded by his loved ones. His family, including son Calum, 24, and father Dickie, 87, had kept an all-night vigil at his bedside.
This morning floral tributes started to arrive outside the private hospital. A message on one bunch of flowers read: "Dear George, Thanks for giving me so much joy, you were my hero as a child and as an adult. You will never be forgotten."
Alongside the flowers were several Manchester United supporters' scarves and a football shirt bearing the name Best and the number 7.
He was admitted to Cromwell Hospital on October 1 suffering from a flu-like infection.
His health deteriorated rapidly when he developed a kidney infection, but he then rallied and his condition was thought to be improving until the early hours of Friday last week when he suffered a severe setback.
He developed a lung infection and was put back on a ventilator in intensive care, but remained alert.
His condition deteriorated further on Wednesday night after which his consultant, Professor Roger Williams, said there was no longer anything doctors could do.
Best's second wife, Alex, said she would always miss the football legend.
In a statement she said: "George was the love of my life. He was a unique and talented person who made a lot of people very happy. I will always miss him."
The couple married in 1995 and divorced in 2004.
The football legend George Best died today with his family at his bedside.
The announcement at the Cromwell Hospital in west London came just one day after it was announced that his life was slipping away.
A spokesman said in a statement: ``After a long and very valiant fight Mr George Best died this afternoon in the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital.''
The statement went on: "The thoughts of all staff at Cromwell Hospital are with Mr Best's family at this time."
Best died at 12.55pm, a hospital spokesman said. He spent his final hours in hospital surrounded by his loved ones. His family, including son Calum, 24, and father Dickie, 87, had kept an all-night vigil at his bedside.
This morning floral tributes started to arrive outside the private hospital. A message on one bunch of flowers read: "Dear George, Thanks for giving me so much joy, you were my hero as a child and as an adult. You will never be forgotten."
Alongside the flowers were several Manchester United supporters' scarves and a football shirt bearing the name Best and the number 7.
He was admitted to Cromwell Hospital on October 1 suffering from a flu-like infection.
His health deteriorated rapidly when he developed a kidney infection, but he then rallied and his condition was thought to be improving until the early hours of Friday last week when he suffered a severe setback.
He developed a lung infection and was put back on a ventilator in intensive care, but remained alert.
His condition deteriorated further on Wednesday night after which his consultant, Professor Roger Williams, said there was no longer anything doctors could do.
Best's second wife, Alex, said she would always miss the football legend.
In a statement she said: "George was the love of my life. He was a unique and talented person who made a lot of people very happy. I will always miss him."
The couple married in 1995 and divorced in 2004.
