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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Aaron Curran

Dad 'popped out to shop' minutes before he was killed

A fundraiser set up after a dad was killed in a crash on New Year's Eve has raised over £5,000.

Sean Coffey, 55, was killed in Ellesmere Port after the dad-of-two, who was on foot, was involved in a crash with two cars, a black BMW X5 and a grey Land Rover Discovery. Sadly, despite the efforts of paramedics at the scene, Mr Coffey sustained serious injuries and died. All parties involved stopped at the scene.

Police are still appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. Mr Coffey's family described him as a "funny, kind and generous man."

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Sean's partner of over 20 years paid tribute to the "lovely man" who was "just made to be a dad." Zoe, who shares two boys with Sean, told the ECHO: "We've never been apart since we got together all those years ago.

"He was a lovely man. The main thing you would say about him is that he was an amazing dad to our two boys. Sean was just made to be a dad, you could tell. He was just so loving and protective.

"We've been together a long, long time. His time being a dad was the happiest time of his life.He was always helping people and he was so popular. He could make you laugh so much that your bones hurt.

"He had such a love of birds and wildlife too, and was so clever and knew so much about them. He could recognise them just from their song."

On the evening of December 31, Zoe said that Sean had just nipped out to the shop to buy food for their tea. She added: "We were planning on having a bit of a naughty tea. Four burgers and potatoes to make homemade chips, that's all he'd gone out for.

"Sean had popped over to the shop. He'd wished everyone a happy New Year - he knew everyone in the shop, the local Premier, and they loved him.

"He'd seen one of his friends in there. They had been teasing him a bit because Sean had grown a little white beard, and then he left and two seconds later he was dead.

"I was wondering where he was because he hadn't come back. I thought he might've gone with a friend to get a pint or something.

"Then two coppers came to the door, both with their hats in their hand. They asked if it was alright to step in and they told me Sean had been in an incident.

"I knew the answer to the question but I asked it anyway. I asked if he had passed away and they said yes. The surreal thing was that we were sat there broken as the New Year's fireworks all went off around us."

A fundraiser set up by a friend of the family described Mr Coffey as "always smiling." The GoFundMe aimed to raise money for funeral costs, and to help support the family financially as they adjust to life without Sean in the coming months.

Many messages of support were left on the page. Margaret Stevenson said: "My heartfelt sympathy to the family at such a tragic time."

Mary Magee said: "Sending so much love Zoe, can’t imagine what you must be going through."

If you would like to donate, visit here.

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