Wonderful Shane left us too soon, say family

THE family of a man who died in a collision have paid a moving tribute to a “wonderful” father, son and brother, who they described as a “true Swindonian”.

Shane Whitson and one other person were killed in a collision on Ermin Street, Swindon, close to the junction with Grange Drive.

The crash was reported at around 7pm last Sunday and the road was shut for hours afterwards as police investigated the scene.

Shane’s family released a tribute following the builder’s death, describing him as a “fantastic father” to his 10-year-old daughter Ella and as a “true Swindonian” who lived in the town all his life.

Shane’s mother Jenny said: “Shane was such a wonderful son. He will be so missed by all of us – he was the youngest of four children.

“I would describe him as a ‘cheeky chap’ – he had a lot of friends and loved to make people laugh.

”He was very kind and generous. Since leaving school, Shane worked in the construction business,

working for Harry Long, Tygrove and, most recently, Opel construction.

“He was very practical and good with his hands. It also suited him because he loved being outdoors.

“He used his practical skills to help people out wherever he could – it was the kind of person he was.

“He even appeared on the Channel 5 show Cowboy Builders in 2014 as part of the team that helped people out.

“He really enjoyed being on the telly.

“I would call him ‘Shane the Pain’ as a joke nickname – but in all honesty he was a wonderful son, brother, brother-in-law, nephew, uncle and cousin.

“He was also a fantastic father to his 10-year-old daughter Ella, who he would spend weekends with, enjoying outdoor activities such as kayaking and rock climbing.

“Shane was a true Swindonian and lived in the town all his life – he grew up in the Coleview area and went to Dorcan School, making many friends along the way.

“We all have so many good memories of him. We had wonderful family holidays when he was little, often with other families – we had some lovely times.

“We will miss our wonderful Shane, who left us far too soon.”

Shane Whitson died in a collision in Swindon last Sunday