Online tributes to Trevor Thompson by Ian McNeilly Feb 28th 2007

The local newspaper of trainer Trevor Thompson, who was killed in a car crash earlier this month, has opened an online book of condolence. The Lancashire Telegraph has been inundated with tributes to Thompson, who tragically lost his life on the return home from watching his son Gary box on the Audley Harrison-Michael Sprott undercard. All are encouraged to leave their messages of condolence at: http://www.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1212612.0.tributes_to_boxer_who_died_after_car_crash.php?s=s The following are extracts from the news article which appeared in the Lancashire Telegraph in the immediate aftermath of the terrible news: A boxing coach died after a car crash as he headed home from watching his son fight on the same bill as Amir Khan. Dad-of-three Trevor Thompson, 65, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, was in a BMW on the M6 near Rugby, Warwickshire when the car was sent hurtling into the crash barrier. His son Gary, 25, who had lost in a professional fight at Wembley Arena hours earlier, managed to lift his father and driver Michael Eastwood out of the car. Just as Gary got them away from the vehicle, another car hit the BMW, the family said. Gary put his father in the recovery position until paramedics arrived at 2am on Sunday. Trevor, who ran Blackburn and Darwen Boxers and Movers gym, was taken to hospital in Coventry and put on life support, but died five hours after the machine was switched off. Gary and Michael escaped with minor injuries. Trevor's partner Maureen Gavagan, 54, said boxing and helping others was his life and that he would be sorely missed. He also leaves daughter Kelly, 29, and son Adrian, 43. She said: "He was a person everybody knew and loved and respected because he did a lot for charity. Every time he read something in The Lancashire Telegraph about children or anybody who needed help he'd say he'd like to do something for them. He was always doing things like that for other people. "He was a man who gave himself to other people. He was unique. "He had so much to give and so much life in him. He was such a strong person everybody leaned on him I don't know what we'll do without him." Trevor discovered his passion for boxing at 14 on a youth programme with Lancashire Constabulary. He opened his gym in Darwen around 20 years ago and worked for British Gas until six years ago when he became a professional boxing coach at the same time Gary turned professional. Trevor's family are considering changing the name of the gym to the Trevor Thompson Pro-Boxing Club. They are hoping to stage a professional boxing match in memory of him.

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