Roger Bates

It was the evening of Tuesday 17th May. My wife and I had finished band practice with the brass band that we ran. It had been a very good session and we were in very good spirits on our way home when my mobile phone rang.

It was Lesley my brother Anthony’s wife, she said: “I have some very bad news Tony (she always called him Tony) has been killed in a road smash.”

It was hard to take in and it took me a while before I could answer, my wife asked me what was the matter and I told her. I don’t think we spoke all the way home, as I was trying to absorb it.

My brother had been driving uphill in the second lane of a two-lane uphill and single downhill lane on the A40 near Cheltenham. A van coming in the opposite direction crossed into his lane and hit him almost head-on.

The impact killed my brother and seriously injured his friend John.

This devastated our families and friends. Anthony was not only my brother but my best friend. He was loved by his wife, two daughters, family and friends.

He would help anyone in need and often did, he loved life, animals, wildlife and loved to travel.

His death was a great loss to us all, he was the glue between family and friends and is greatly missed.