'We will always love Simon'

Today his devastated family opened their hearts about the "wonderful" husband, father, son, brother and uncle as they struggled to come to terms with the fact they never got the chance to say goodbye.

Fighting back tears, wife Cath said Simon adored his family and "lived life to the full".

"He was an excellent father, a wonderful husband and a loving son, brother and uncle," she said.

Popular Simon had everything to live for when his life was cut cruelly short after a night out with friends at a Black Country club ended in tragedy. The 22-year-old plasterer, from Lanesfield in Wolverhampton, died of head injuries after being found slumped on the street outside JB's nightclub in Dudley.

He had been enjoying an Elvis tribute act at the venue.

Despite the best efforts of police and paramedics to save him, Simon died just hours later at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on Saturday.

Cath said: "He was precious to us all and he has given me such happy memories that I will never lose.

"I can't believe he was taken away from me before I had chance to say goodbye.

"I will never stop loving him."

Simon, of Needwood Drive, was also a keen motorcross rider and angler.

His mother May, stepdad Jim and father Eddie said his death had left a void in the family that could never be filled.

May, from Salter Road in Tipton, said: "My heart has been left empty.

"He was such a lovely lad and he shouldn't have been taken away from me."

Brother Carl described Simon as "much more than a brother".

"His life was my life," he said. "He was the grandest of friends and lived life to the full.

"He achieved every goal to the highest standard and accomplished every challenge he took on."

Carl added that words could not describe how proud he was of his brother.

"He will be sadly missed but forever loved," he said.

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