Waterloo Road actress Holly Matthews pays tribute to husband Ross Blair

Ross Blair, 32, is the son of ex-Aston Villa and Coventry City player Andy Blair

Holly Matthews and Ross Blair (Facebook)

Actress Holly Matthews has paid a touching tribute to her husband, Ross Blair, after he died from a brain tumour at the age of 32.

Ms Matthews, who featured in Waterloo Road, Casualty and Byker Grove, wrote a blog about coping with his illness after he was diagnosed in 2014.

Mr Blair, the son of ex-Aston Villa and Coventry City player Andy Blair, underwent brain surgery and chemotherapy for his rare form of tumour.

The father-of-two died on 29 July at Myton Hospice and Ms Mathews thanked its staff for the "dignity and love" they provided her husband. She has so far raised more than £9,000 for the charity.

"On Saturday July 29, just as the final whistle was blowing for the end of Saturday football, my incredible husband took his last breath ... he was surrounded by me, his mum (Dionne Blair), dad (Andy Blair) and sister (Ashley Blair), peacefully and with the support of the incredible Myton Hospice staff,” Ms Matthews wrote.

"The loss we are feeling is unfathomable right now and breaking the news to my daughters was extremely tough, but we are supporting each other and taking it one step at a time."