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Tributes pour in for tragic 'gentle giant'
A MAN who died in a road accident in Clayton Brook has been described as a 'gentle giant' by his family and friends.
Riley Howard Williams, 45, died just minutes from his home when his work lorry was in collision with a double decker Stagecoach bus running from Preston to Chorley on Tramway Lane.
Mr Williams had lived in a Northern British Housing flat in Woodfield, Clayton Brook for a number of years after moving from his native Boston in Lincolnshire.
He was an elder of Chorley's Mormon temple community and enjoyed amateur radio and computing.
He was also keen on photography and researching family history.
He was working as a driver for an independent agency when the accident happened last Wednesday.
His step-father Gordon Brown, 77, of Boston, Lincolnshire, said: "I had known Riley since he was about five years old and his mum and I are devastated.
"He was a very genuine person and very generous to other people.
"If anybody wanted anything of him, he he would try to help and sometimes people would take advantage of him because he was so nice.
"He used to keep in touch with us a lot and call a couple of times a week. He came home on the weekend before he was killed and we had a very good time. Riley and his mother went out for a meal."
He added: "His mother and I are devastated because we had never thought that something like this would have happened.
"We have received a lot of condolence cards and bouquets of flowers and a lot people have shown their support."
He said Riley's father had died just a month ago.
Riley leaves his mother Patricia Brown, 67, and his younger sister Josephine and younger brother Mark.
Riley was educated at primary and grammar school in Boston and then went on to graduate with a degree in Computer Sciences from Aberdeen University.
During his time in Scotland he climbed Ben Nevis and was taken by the friendliness and picturesque countryside of the place. He was previously married to a woman from Chorley but has not had children.
Stephen Petchey, Bishop of the South Ribble ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, said: "He moved up here from Lincolnshire to work at the temple site.
"He was the only one in his family to join our faith and his favourite hobby was amateur radio. He had a licence and a lot of radio equipment.
"He was known as a gentle giant because he was about 6ft 8" tall and extremely quiet and gentle. Riley sacrificed lots of his spare time for his faith and he took on responsibilities. He was good with computers and did a lot of computer and administration work."
Mr Williams will be buried at the Boston Church of Latter Day Saints next Friday.
n The bus driver, a 56 year old man from Chorley, suffered bruising to his chest and was treated and later released from hospital.
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Weather for Chorley
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
