Tributes to crash victim
A Stafford man who died when his car crashed through a wall and ended up in the front garden of a house at Milford has been named.
The family of 22-year-old Nathan Goodwin paid tribute to him as a 'happy-go-lucky chap." Nathan, of Fieldside, Wildwood, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Main Road in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Firefighters had to cut off the door of the blue Ford Ka so paramedics could get to him in a bid to resuscitate him.
Today family and friends of Nathan, a former pupil of Walton High School and St Anne's Primary School, spoke of their loss.
Dozens of floral tributes – along with cards, a photograph, a beer can and bottle of San Miguel – have already been left at the scene of the smash in honour of the popular man.
Nathan's dad, Andy, said his son – the oldest of three brothers – had just turned 22.
He had worked for the civil engineering business, Clay and Concrete Sewers Ltd.
"Nathan was a happy-go-lucky chap who had got the world in front of him," said Mr Goodwin. "He was just enjoying his life to the full. He had no problems at all. He had a lot of friends – an excessive amount – who liked him and admired him."
Mr Goodwin said his son was a big fan of Liverpool FC and also enjoyed rugby.
And together with his wife Helen, and Nathan's two brothers and two sisters, the whole family are in mourning.
Faye Moodie, a friend of the Goodwin family, who had known Nathan for up to 15 years said:"I am friends with his sister Zara, and so we were automatically friends from then on.
"I went to the scene on Saturday and put some flowers down. Me and my boyfriend are devastated.
"Saturday was a really awful day, and I don't think it has completely sunk in yet what has happened. I haven't seen as much of them recently as I have moved into town from the area.
"But we are all off one estate and everybody knows everybody else.
"We all went to the same school, and so everyone also knows everyone's brothers and sisters."
Faye added people also knew each other through the estate's local, The Wildwood.
Nathan was travelling from Stafford towards Milford when the collision happened near the junction of School Lane, in Walton-on-the-Hill.
Police closed off the stretch of road from School Lane to Milford Common for three hours as they launched an investigation. The car ended up in the front garden of Graham Kilford's house, just feet away from the front door.
He has since discovered Nathan was a relation on his wife's side, and said since the accident people have continually visited the scene to lay flowers.
"It is heartbreaking for that family," said Mr Kilford. "The outpouring of grief has being unbelievable and I have never experienced it in my life."
Councillor John Francis, a borough councillor who lives in Main Road, said he was concerned that the poor state of the road surface might have been a factor in the accident.
"I have been trying to get the surface improved for 10 years,". He said the speed limit on Main Road had been reduced from 40 to 30mph but there was still the need for a speed camera there. "I will be taking this up with the county council in the wake of this tragic accident," he added.
