The family of Bromham grandfather Tony Rance have marked his birthday with floral tributes at the spot where he died in a car crash last October.

Flowers were left on the A342 outside Rowdeford School, where Mr Rance died.He would have been 77.

One tribute read: “To my Grampy. Happy birthday gramp. Just wish you could be to here to celebrate it with all of us. I think about you every day and miss you every day too.”

Mr Rance’s daughter, Pat Bowyer, said: “We thought we would mark the day of his birthday with flowers. We still miss him very much and we wanted to mark the first birthday he hasn’t been with us.

“We are still thinking about some kind of memorial to him.”

Mr Rance died at the wheel of his Peugeot 406 after suffering a heart attack in October last year. The car hit the school wall. No other vehicle was involved.

Mr Rance and his wife, Mary, 74, had lived all their 51 years of married life in Bromham. The couple have five children, 14 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

After he died, his daughter, Cheryl Gibbs, from Melksham, said: “They threw away the mould when they made dad. He always put others before himself. He was always willing to help people, even if he was ill. He was the best and he lived life to the full.”

Mr Rance had worked for Avon Rubber in Melksham for many years and retired aged 60 from Cook’s Demolition in Chippenham.

He enjoyed gardening, beach fishing, country and western and Irish music and he cheered on Swindon Robins speedway team at their meetings.

Despite health problems, including three types of arthritis, angina and high blood pressure, Mr Rance remained active until his death.

His funeral was at St Nicholas Church, Bromham followed by a cremation at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington.