THE family of a Prestwich cyclist have paid tribute to a cyclist who was killed in a car accident.

Terry Brown's family have expressed their grief and shock after he was hit by a car and suffered fatal head injuries on a road four miles west of Warrington on February 18.

Mr Brown lived in Gardner Road, Prestwich, as a child, and his parents David and Ellen, of Prestwich Hills, his sister Nicola Keatley, of Clarendon Street, Whitefield, and his brother David, who now lives in Australia, have thanked those who packed out St Mary’s Church, Prestwich, for Terry’s funeral on Friday, March 7, and paid tribute to the father of three.

David, aged 70, said: “The whole family are totally devastated and still can’t believe what has happened.

“Terry gave everything 100 per cent and did it with enthusiasm.

“He tried to achieve the highest in everything he did, he loved sport and was so competitive.”

Ellen, aged 66, said: “He was such a fun person to have around, and we will really miss him.

“I feel like I have had my heart pulled out and stamped on.”

The family is appealing for motorists to respect cyclists’ space on the road and have also started fundraising for head injuries charity Headway.

Terry’s friends and family have so far raised £911 for the organisation.

“We don’t want Terry’s death to be in vain,” said David, aged 46, who rushed over from his home in Australia after hearing news of his brother’s crash.

He added: “We want people to be aware of cyclists and the dangers they face on the road.

“They have just as much right to be on the road as anyone else. The idea that drivers have more rights is wrong.

“If another incident like Terry’s death can be prevented, then it won’t have been in vain.”

David added that Terry’s three children, Anthony, aged 25, Francesca, aged 15, and Luke, aged 13, are still coming to terms with his death.

Terry lived in Great Sankey near Warrington at the time of his death.

Nicola, aged 41, recalled how he always called her ‘Little Sis’ and was best man at her wedding.

She called him Peter Pan because he appeared younger than his age.

“He had fantastic morals, and when showing his crazy side he was like Peter Pan to me, a brilliant big brother” said Nicola.

Brother David would spend weeks exploring Australia with Terry, including scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

David added: “He was a dedicated father and fun-loving guy, who cherished his family life.

“We got to see these sights and forge incredible memories.

“It’s those memories that keep you going and you look back on now.”

Born in Salford, Terry loved sport, supported Manchester United, and played table tennis in the Warrington and District League.

He would often cycle to work in Liverpool as packing manager at Princes Food.

Nicola remembered how he would often surprise the family by cycling all the way from Warrington to Prestwich.

Nicola added: “He would think nothing of cycling all that way. It was normal to him. It was an example of how sporty he was.

“It has devastated us all and we are all grieving. The turnout at the funeral was lovely and we would like to thank everyone who came.”

Terry’s family have set up a tribute page to him at terry.brown.muchloved.com.

  • A 38-YEAR-OLD man from Great Sankey, Warrington has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the incident. He has been bailed while Merseyside Police investigate.