Dickie Bird cries as he reveals last conversation with Michael Parkinson just hours before his death

Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird broke down in tears as he revealed his last conversation with his “special friend” Michael Parkinson, just a day before his death.

Speaking to Sky News, Bird recalled how the pair had known one another since they were 14 and had many fond memories growing up in Barnsley.

Paying tribute, Bird began to cry when he recalled his last conversation with his friend on Wednesday. He said: “I spoke to him yesterday, we had tears in our eyes and we said goodbye to each other. It was as if we had this feeling we wouldn’t see each other again.”