TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved family man and civic campaigner who died recently.

Patrick Moylan, of Gloucester Street, Cirencester, who was 73, had been suffering from cancer from some time and died peacefully in his sleep at Cheltenham General Hospital.

He moved to Cirencester with his wife Christine in December 1996 and grew to love the town.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

"Patrick loved living in Cirencester and worked tirelessly on many local issues both as part of the Park Community Group and the Save our Cirencester initiative," said his son Ben.

On October 5, 1999, Patrick was travelling on one of the leading carriages on the 06.03 Intercity 125 from Cheltenham to London and suffered serious burns and other injuries in the Paddington rail crash which took place that morning just outside Ladbroke Grove.

He spent eight weeks in hospital and had three operations.

The accident occurred when a Thames train went through a red light and collided with the First Great Western train.

Thirty-one people were killed and more than 400 were injured.

Having received substantial skin grafting hospital treatment, he spent much of his time over the following years committed to groups campaigning for rail safety.

Patrick also loved sport and was an active member of Cirencester Golf Club, a season ticket holder at Gloucester Rugby and a close follower of National Hunt racing, especially the Cheltenham Festival.

He was born in Cliveden Canadian Red Cross Hospital in 1948 and spent his younger years just outside Slough.

Following his marriage to Christine in 1972, Patrick moved with his young family to Wiltshire to work in Woolworths in 1974.

After securing a degree through evening study at the Open University, he joined an international management consultancy based in the US, working with some of the biggest names on the high street for over two decades.

His family said he would be sorely missed by many but especially by his wife Christine, sons Ben and John, daughters-in-law Katie and Martha and grandchildren Joseph, Sara, Esther and Annie.

A memorial service takes place at St Peter's Church, Cirencester at 2pm on Friday, November 18.