Tributes to father in heart death, aged 45

A "loving and dedicated" father-of-one who had been suffering from kidney failure, tragically died following a series of heart attacks, aged just 45.

Devastated relatives of Steven Sumner today paid tribute to the scooter fanatic from Wolverhampton. His 16-year-old daughter Jessica made a moving tribute to the former Yale worker.

She vowed to make her father proud by going to university to follow her dream of becoming an artist.

"The last time I saw him, Dad said to me that I should make him proud, so I'm going to make sure I work hard and go to university," she said.

"He would always spend time with me teaching me how to draw and it is something I have picked up. I want to go on to be a cartoonist."

After leaving Wednesfield High School at the age of 16 Mr Sumner took on a range of maintenance jobs before working at the former Yale factory in Willenhall, where he was employed for 15 years, working alongside his mother Christine.

Mrs Sumner said her son's major passion in life was scooters and that he had owned a number of bikes, including a Vespa and Lambretta, from a young age. The 63-year-old, of Castlebridge Road, Wednesfield, said: "Scooters were his big thing. He was part of a scoo-ter club and went on rallies."

Mr Sumner's sister, 41-year-old Tracey Banks, and aunt Lynee Evans, aged 61, said he was also interested in abseiling and rollercoasters, often visiting attractions such as Alton Towers with Jessica.

They said that Mr Sumner, who died on April 7 at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital, was also passionate about travelling, and took his daughter on holidays to America and Paris.

His funeral will take place at Bushbury Crematorium on Wednesday.