Brave Steve Evans will never be forgotten

The father of two always described himself as just a 'man from the council' but towards the end of his all-too-short life he brought joy and inspiration to people all over the country.

And today, after dying at the age of 52, his loved ones and work colleagues flocked to pay tribute, saying: "There's just not enough people like Steve in the world".

• Steve Evans passes away after cancer battle

Steve died in the early hours of today as a result of an incurable stomach cancer. He has lived with the condition for two years and began reaching out on Twitter, where he gained an army of 26,000 followers as he described taking joy in the simplest of things and some of the medical complications that came from receiving treatment to make him more comfortable.

Whether it was sharing Christmas with his beloved wife Septina and their daughters Megan and Lauren, or joking with his life-long friend John Price on Twitter, or just spending time fishing, Steve made the most of the time he was given.

Steve had been gaining national attention in recent months after becoming an occasional contributor to Richard Bacon's show on Radio Five Live.

The former Blue Peter presenter has also been to visit Steve when he was in New Cross Hospital.

The radio appearances led to Steve being interviewed three times on BBC One's Breakfast show about issues such as the cost and availability of cancer treatment.

His name is on the wall of fame at the Wolverhampton Civic Halls alongside the likes of Lenny Henry and Noddy Holder and was added during a ceremony attended by comedian Jimmy Carr.

Steve spent more than a decade working at the Civic, outside of his day job as a council building surveyor, where he would look after some of the big name stars performing there, including Carr and John Bishop.

He retired from the council in 2012 after his diagnosis but continued to help out at the Civic whenever he could.

His other job was as a magician and Steve - who lived in Old Fallings Lane in Wolverhampton with his wife of 28 years, Septina, and their daughters Megan, 26, and 21-year-old Lauren, was a fully fledged member of the Magic Circle.

He was overjoyed to have been able to spend Christmas with them.

Speaking recently Steve urged people to enjoy the more simple things in life, and today the family released treasured photographs of him enjoying time with his loved ones.

"I do hope that at some time in the future you too will live a life where you really enjoy the fact that at the end of the day the thing you're looking forward to is just chatting to a mate," he said.

"It doesn't seem a lot but without mates I'd be nowhere."

He said he was overwhelmed by the support he had received on Twitter.

"I feel ashamed now that I haven't been able to give the extended Twitter family enough time because I'm ill", he said.

"Christmas was unique. Everyone on Twitter, because they shared it with us. We had 35 to 45 Christmas cards from people we'd never met. I had 500 messages on Christmas Day.

"The family were fine. But remember it's all to do with getting past the actual event of the days that were Christmas, because it had become a bit of a target. That was something that had to be navigated."

In his final days Steve had become too weak to give updates on Twitter.

But his messages were being put up by his old friend John Price, aged 52, of Hill Meadows, Compton.

Mr Price was 14 and on his way to his first day at Northicote School when he met Steve.

"I didn't know the way and I spotted this boy with a new blazer on and asked if he was going to Northicote.

"It was Steve, or Evo as he was always known, and he said yes.

"So I tagged along with him.

"Then we came across some lads who were always stealing his dinner money.

"I put a stop to that and we've been friends ever since.

"We were nothing alike. But he's always been my voice of reason.

"We looked after each other ever since that first day."

Mark Blackstock, manager of the Civic Halls, added: "A lot of comedians would tour the country and meet lots of blank faces.

"The ones who came here met Steve. And I think the reason we attract such big names is partly down to him.

"He loved the Civic Halls. He was part of the gang. But more than that he was just a good bloke. And there's not enough people like Steve about."