Penwortham Priory Academy
An 18-year-old who appeared in Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams BBC TV show has died following a crash.
Umar Mahmood was driving an Audi A3 Sport when it left the road and hit trees on Chain Caul Way, in Preston, at about 22:55 BST on Tuesday. A 16-year-old boy travelling in the back of the vehicle was also killed.
Mr Mahmood was one of a group of young cricketers from Lancashire who was featured on the BBC series.
His former school, Penwortham Priory Academy, described him as “bright, studious and well-loved”.
The tribute said Mr Mahmood “was a young man who was always considerate to those around him and who showed ambition and kindness in all that he did”.
The academy said it was “with great sadness that we hear this news”, adding Mr Mahmood’s family would be in their “thoughts and prayers today”.
It added that Mr Mahmood, who left the school two years ago, “had a passion for geography as well as his cricket”.
‘An opportunity’
Field of Dreams saw former England all-rounder Flintoff, who is from Preston, visit under-privileged parts of Lancashire to find 11 teenagers, who had not considered the sport before, to form a side.
Speaking in July 2022 about his involvement in the show, Mr Mahmood said he had enjoyed watching and playing cricket and had been selected to join Flintoff’s team while a member of the BYDS Youth Club in Preston.
“They said they wanted to do a documentary about cricket and give people like me an opportunity which I might not otherwise have,” he said in a statement, which was issued at the time by his school.
Mr Mahmood said he and his fellow young cricketers were trained by Freddie Flintoff, who was “really down to earth”, along with Kyle Hogg.
“They taught us different types of cricketing skills and it has been really good. I would say now I am a bit of an all-rounder,” he said, adding he had been interviewed a lot for the programme “and they have been to my house and interviewed my family as well”.
Flintoff said in 2022 following filming: “Cricket is not an easy sport and some of the boys had never picked up a bat before.
“I was also dealing with kids who thought it was posh and boring so I had to change their minds.
“I got far more invested in the boys’ lives than I thought I would but I care more about them as people than their cricketing ability at the end of the day.”
Bowled opponent out
In the programme, Mr Mahmood could be seen bowling during the young side’s first match, during which he got an opponent out.
“When I realised I had got him out I was over the moon really,” he said.
“The atmosphere is really good, especially how everyone came around after. Now we’ve got a good chance of winning.”
The BBC said in a statement: “We are very saddened to hear the news of Umar’s passing and the thoughts of everyone in the Field Of Dreams team are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Lancashire Police confirmed on Wednesday that the boy travelling in the back of the car, named by the same school as Adam Bodi, had also died in the crash.
The academy also paid tribute to Adam, saying he was a popular boy with a fantastic sense of humour.
The academy sent its “heartfelt condolences to all of Adam’s family and friends”.
A 17-year-old boy remains in a stable condition in hospital.
