5:42pm Wednesday 2nd April 2008
By Chris Fay
TRIBUTES have been paid to a businessman who died as a result of a brain haemorrhage.
Paul Abbott, 39, an electrician who worked in and around Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, for more than 20 years, collapsed suddenly at work last week.
He was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital where he died, two days later, on March 27.
Mr Abbott traded as Abbott's Electrical from the home he shared with wife Tracy and daughter Hayley, 10, on Hunters Green, Newton Aycliffe.
Mrs Abbott paid tribute to her husband and explained that her daughter requested only blue and red should be worn at the funeral because of a game she used to play with her father.
She said: "When we used to go away in the van (motor home) we used to play Frustration and he always picked those colours so Hayley thought they must be his favourites.
"Plus his uniform was blue with a red logo, and we just thought it would be better that everyone wearing black."
Mrs Abbott described her husband's love of the outdoors and as well as regular holidays in their motor home he enjoyed walking and cycling.
His colleague and friend, Les Carr, spoke of Mr Abbott's generosity and popularity with his customers.
"He was very well liked by his customers, they thought the world of him.
"I've been driving round stopping by telling some of his customers, leaving some of them in tears, but I think that's better than them hearing in passing," said Mr Carr.
The funeral will take place on April 8, at 1.30pm, at St Clare's Church, Newton Aycliffe, followed by an internment in the town's West Cemetery.
Abbott's Electrical is now closed to new business but provisions have been put in place to finish existing or ongoing contracts.
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