Mum's grief for son who 'loved life'

Joe, of Dorset Road South, fell on August 10 while working on the roof of a house in Washington Avenue and died from head injuries at the Conquest Hospital.

A police investigation into the death led to a man being arrested and questioned before he was released on bail. The Health and Safety executive is being kept informed.

A service for Joe will be held at 2pm at Christchurch, St Leonards, followed by a private ceremony at Hastings crematorium, and then a wake in Hastings Old Town.

Mum Pam, also of Dorset Road South, is seeing this as a celebration of a life well lived by a young man who knew how to enjoy himself '“ his nickname was Champagne Joe.

"I think there will be hundreds of people there," she told the Observer.

"He was well loved. He had a wonderful life '“ but it was cut short by an accident that could maybe have been prevented, I don't know.

"But Joe loved his job. In the eight years he did it he never moaned about going to work."

The weeks since his death have been made more unbearable for Pam by the scaffolding around the building where she lives, which reminds her constantly of the way Joe died.

She said appeals to Shuttleworth, which is acting as agent for the freeholder, went unanswered until work was carried out in the roof last Saturday and Pam was promised the scaffolding would come down this week.

A spokesman from Shuttleworth assured the Observer that the scaffolding was due to come down by yesterday, in time for the funeral.

Pam said she was "disgusted" by what she described as a lack of compassion when she asked for the scaffolding to be taken down because it was causing her distress.

She said: "Every time I open my bedroom windows I am reminded of my son's death."

Pam has found strength and support from loved ones '“ especially her 90-year-old mother Vera whom she says has held the family together.

There has been a steady stream of visitors, cards and letters from many people who knew her son, including a message from a teacher at school who described him as "a joy to teach", and even an elderly man he once met in a Silverhill Club and enjoyed a drink and a chat with.

Joe had two older brothers '“ Ben, 38, who lives in Melbourne, Australia, who is attending the funeral today with wife Amanda, and Stephen, 39, who lives in Manor Road. Their sister Sophie is 28 and lives in Cantelupe Road.

Joe was close to his family, and kept in touch with the friends he grew up with. He was a keen Manchester United fan who hopped on a plane to get to matches, and he also flew all over the world for holidays and stag parties.

He had been with girlfriend Samantha Walbin for 18 months and the couple planned to marry '“ he told his mother when he met Sam he knew she was the one for him.

Joe was brought up in Elphinstone Road, Hastings and went to Blacklands primary school followed by William Parker.

As a teenager he worked in the Cinque Ports hotel and then went on to work at Safeway '“ the family by then lived in Springfield Road and the house was always open to him and his many friends.

Pam said: "All he wanted was to be happy, healthy and to enjoy life '“ which, I am glad to say, he did. So there will be hundreds and hundreds of different types of people who have been put together because of knowing Joe.

"He then went off and did the scaffolding, and I must say he loved it. He loved the job, he loved his work colleages, and they had lots of fun. It was a very tragic accident."

Pam will today be wearing the yellow dress that Joe liked to see her in, and she will be accompanied by her partner Roger, while Joe's dad Derm will also be there.

The coffin will be carried into the church by brothers Stephen and Ben and Joe's three workmates Eddie, Pilko and Maccers, and his friend Raymond.

Pam said: "It's a celebration of a happy life. In 31 years, he fitted in more than anyone could.

"I have never known him to be fed up. He was into looking good, wearing nice clothes, enjoying himself, having nice meals, and having a glass of champagne. My boy loved champagne - so there will be lots of champagne, laughter and talk.

"You have got to love life itself. Joe did."