The family of Graham Barlow, a 77-year-old grandfather who died following a collision in Tamworth, have paid tribute to a man they describe as a "hero" who "cared deeply about people". Mr Barlow, who was driving a Nissan Juke, was involved in a collision with a white Ford van on Pennine Way at around 1.35pm on Thursday, July 30.
Mr Barlow was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following the crash. Tragically, he lost his fight for life just over a week later on Sunday, August 9. The driver of the Ford van, a man, suffered minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment.
Family's touching tribute to a 'wonderful' man
In a joint statement, Graham's family said: "Our husband, dad, grandad and great-grandad was truly one of the best men you could ever have the privilege of knowing. A lovely gentleman with a heart of gold, who always put others before himself. He was our safety, our hero and the heart of our family."
The family continued: "He was loved by so many and will be deeply missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, wider family, friends and everyone who knew him. Dad dedicated so much of his life to helping others and doing amazing work within the Tamworth community. He cared deeply about people, always looked out for those who needed a helping hand and made a real difference to the lives of so many."
Heartbreak and memories
"To have such a wonderful man taken from us far too soon in such an awful tragedy has shattered us all. There are simply no words to express the depth of our heartbreak or the emptiness his loss has left behind. We will treasure the memories we have of him and carry his love with us for the rest of our lives," the family added.
Police appeal for dashcam footage
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "Graham's family continue to be supported by specialist officers at this time. We are keen to speak to anyone with any information or dashcam footage which could help collision investigators. Call us on 101, quoting incident 431 of July 30, or message us using Live Chat on our website. You can also get in touch with collision investigators directly by emailing ciu@staffordshire.police.uk."
The collision investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the incident to come forward to assist investigators.
