Villagers plan Man U-themed wake for Newton Longville gas explosion victim Steve Woodward
A wake filled with the colours of Manchester United is to be held for the man who lost his life in the Newton Longville gas explosion.
Steve Woodward, 67, suffered serious burns when his housing association bungalow in Cobb Hall Road, Newton Longville, dramatically exploded into flames on Sunday August 9.
The property was reduced to rubble and he was pulled from the wreckage by neighbours. He was rushed to hospital and treated at a specialist burns unit but sadly today four days later police announced he had lost his battle for life
Steve was an avid Man U fan and a popular member of Wing Sports and Social Club. Now the club is planning a wake filled with the colours of his favourite team in his memory.
The wake will be held at the club on Sunday August 30 from 2pm and people are being asked for donations of food to help put on a spread. Donations can be handed over at the bar and will be running until Thursday evening. They are also being urged to wear the colours of Manchester United footbal club, particularly red.
"Any support would be greatly appreciated and will help us give Steve the send-off he deserves,” said a sports and social club spokesperson,
They added: “Thank you all for your continued support and for coming together for Steve.
“As we all know, Steve absolutely loved his team, Manchester United, so we thought it would be a lovely tribute to him for everyone to wear football shirts or red to his wake. Whether it’s your favourite football shirt or simply something red, let’s fill the room with the colours Steve loved and celebrate his life together.”
“Steve was so much more than a member of our club. He was a friend, a familiar face, someone who could make people laugh, and a huge part of our club family. His loss has left a massive hole in the hearts of everyone who knew him.”
Meanwhile a fundraising page has been set up to help “give something back” to the village in Steve’s name and it has raised £525 of its £2,400 target. You can view the page here.
The investigation is still continuing into the cause of the explosion at the Cobb Hall Road bungalow, which is owned by Fairhive Homes, a not-for-profit provider of social housing in Bucks.
Neighbours, who were evacuated for days after the explosion, have been assured their homes are safe and have been offered a free gas safety checks by suppliers SGN to give them peace of mind.
"It’s been a terrifying time for everyone and we’re all still in shock. You just don’t expect your neighbour’s house to explode out of the blue...” said one resident.
The investigation into the explosion is being carried out jointly by the Health and Safety Executive and Thames Valley Police. If you have any information that may be relevant to the investigation, please contact Thames Valley Police, quoting URN 660 and the relevant date.