The family of a Penzance grandfather who died three days before Christmas have paid tribute to an inventor and entrepreneur “loved by everyone who knew him.”

Phillip Slimmon, aged 59, died from injuries sustained in a collision on the A30 near Buryas Bridge.

His Vauxhall Cavalier was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Astra at around 8.30pm last Wednesday. Mr Slimmon died at Truro's Royal Cornwall Hospital just hours later, early last Thursday.

This morning his family released a tribute, saying: “Philip was very popular and well liked, an inventor and entrepreneur before his time. He won the Welsh Business awards 1987 for 'Sports Absorba' which sold throughout the world.”

Mr Slimmon moved to Cornwall in 1990 and was a “very well known and much liked man” in the Penzance area, where he was known to his close friends and family as ‘FUF’.

“He was loved by everyone who knew him,” his family added.

Philip leaves two sons, 38-year-old Dean and 39-year-old Justin, who still live in Wales, and a daughter Emma, 23, who lives in Swindon, as well as grandchildren Leah, Jade, Mya, Kallum, Jay and Deryn who have lost “a wonderful granddad whom they adored.”

Emma said: “I made him a money tree for Christmas, put 20 pound coins, one on each branch, and was going to give it to him for Christmas. I now know that he was planning to come up to Swindon on a surprise visit on Christmas Eve with my mum to bring our cards and presents, but he never had the chance to deliver them.

“I would like to donate the money tree to the air ambulance, who got him to Treliske but it was just too late.”

Friends and well-wishers can visit the Philip Slimmon Facebook page via 'gonetoosoon.org' to leave comments and light an online candle. The family has also asked any money for flowers to instead be donated to Cornwall Air Ambulance.

  • The driver of the Astra, a 26-year-old man from Falmouth, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and released on police bail until March 21, 2012 while investigations continue.