IPSWICH: The devastated wife of a man who died at work after a tyre exploded has today paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband.

Gary Deaves was injured in an horrific accident while at work at Ipswich Docks six weeks ago. On Sunday, the 48-year-old, of Churchill Avenue, lost his battle and died at Ipswich Hospital. He had sustained traumatic head injuries following the accident at Cliff Quay on March 30.

Speaking to The Evening Star, his widow Dawn Deaves said: “He was a real family man and we just all miss him terribly.

“I will miss him trying to play the guitar, he was getting there.

“He was so well loved by us all, and by all his friends, everyone who knew him. We will just miss him.”

The couple had been married nearly 24 years and have two children, a 20-year-old son Chris and a daughter Jennifer, 15.

Mrs Deaves, who works at Suffolk New College, also praised the “brilliant” staff at the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and those at Ipswich Hospital too, who cared for her husband.

And John Deaves paid tribute to his brother on a social networking site. He said: “If affluence were measured in family and good friends then I would consider myself, rich, very rich. But today, I feel somewhat poorer. Indeed, from today, the world will always be a much poorer place.”

Mr Deaves, a mechanical engineer, had worked at Ipswich Docks for Associated British Ports (ABP) for the last five years.

The accident is believed to have happened in a workshop at the docks, in the engineering buildings belonging to ABP.

It is understood Mr Deaves was carrying out maintenance work on a forklift. As he removed one of the tyres it is believed to have exploded causing him severe head injuries.

Shocked colleagues have also paid their tributes.

Alastair MacFarlane, ABP port manager at Ipswich Docks, said: “Gary was a well respected and valued member of the team. He had been working with us for five years and obviously he will be sorely missed by all who worked with him at the port.

“Our thoughts go out to the family at this very difficult time.”

Mr Deaves’s funeral will be held at Ipswich Cremato-rium on May 25, his family has requested family flowers only at the service, but asked instead for donations to NCCU at Addenbrookes.

n Would you like to pay your tributes to Mr Deaves? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@evening star.co.uk