'˜Barney never gave up': Touching tributes to brave dad after cancer battle

Tributes to Barney Woolcock have continued to pour in after the Poulton dad died on Friday afternoon from a rare form of cancer.
Tributes have poured in for Barney WoolcockTributes have poured in for Barney Woolcock
Tributes have poured in for Barney Woolcock

The 35-year-old was battling Burkitt lymphoma, which affects just 210 people a year in the UK.

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'A true gentleman': Tributes to Poulton dad Barney Woolcock after brave battle w...

He was described as ‘a true gentleman’ and ‘an inspiration’ by family and friends on social media.

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Barney’s mum Judy said: “Everyone has been so kind and supportive, in raising money and in with their messages. We are so grateful.

“Barney was always on the go and never gave up. He was so dynamic and losing him is such a shock.

“I can’t believe he is gone. ”

And she said TV entertainer Jon Culshaw, a family friend for 25 years, had been in touch with his own tribute.

It included: “Barney’s signature in his messages was always to end on a positive note.

“His amazing example will continue to inspire.”

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More than 100 tributes had already been left on Barney’s Facebook page on Saturday morning.

Tracy Bury wrote: “You will always be a true inspiration, a brave warrior and a beautiful soul.”

Alana Ritcho posted: “To say you were an absolute trooper until the end is an understatement.

“You were, and will continue to be an inspiration to all of us who had the pleasure of knowing you.”

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Paul Wilde wrote: “RIP Barney you fought so hard and are a real inspiration to so many.”

And John Stoddard posted: “Your children will grow up knowing their dad was a gentleman and an inspiration to all of us .You will be sorely missed my friend.”

At this afternoon’s match at Blackpool, fans of Fleetwood Town, where Barney enjoyed watching matches, broke into applause in his honour on the 35th minute.

Within weeks of being told his cancer had returned in December, thousands of pounds were raised for his children, in a fund-raising campaign backed by former England star Paul Gascoigne.

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Barney was first diagnosed the same day his sister Louise – who died at 21 after her own cancer fight – would have turned 46.

Athletic dad-of-two Barney was just days shy of his 10th birthday when Louise died after a three-year fight against rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer, at the age of just 21.

He posted on Facebook to say he had been admitted to Trinity Hospice on April 7.