Man killed by car thieves was ‘wonderful husband and son’

AN EX-ROYAL Navy officer killed trying to stop thieves stealing his car was a “wonderful husband, brother and son”, his family have said.

Mike Samwell, 35, was killed after chasing intruders at his £500,000 home in Chorlton, Manchester, who broke in while he and his wife Jess were asleep in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was run down as the thieves sped off in his Audi S3 car.

His accountant wife screamed his name and cried for help as he lay dying in the street before neighbours dashed to the scene and an ambulance was called. Mr Samwell, who served 12 years in the Royal Navy and was a University of Leeds graduate, was pronounced dead in hospital about an hour later.

His family issued a touching tribute yesterday and said: “Mike’s death has made a huge hole in our lives that can never be filled. Mike was the most wonderful husband, brother and son. He would do anything for anyone and was an ever-dependable and generous family member and friend to so many.

“He was always smiling and sharing his amazing sense of humour. We are so proud of all that Mike was and had achieved.

“Mike was devoted to his family above anything. His wife Jess was his one great love above all things. He was a loyal and treasured friend. We are so grateful to have had him in our lives - he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

“We have been blessed by the amount of support, condolences and prayers from those who loved him. We have been deeply touched by the kindness of strangers, especially the emergency services, hospital staff and police who did everything they could. We all want to remember Mike as the special, kind and exceptionally talented man he was and not dwell on a senseless crime which has left us all so bereft.”