Tributes to popular Formby man Peter Walton

Peter ran Brows Lane news in Formy village for a decade , selling penny sweets and papers seven days a week.

Tributes have poured in following the death of a well known Formby man.

Peter Walton, 65, died at home on Tuesday morning (March 24) surrounded by his family. The father of two ran Brows Lane News in Formby village with his wife Nancy for 10 years.

The couple sold the business in 2008 and Peter later worked for Iceland in Southport.

Nancy said: “My husband was always a people pleaser. I will also remember his love of sport. He was a keen squash player and Manchester United fan. He used to love chatting to his customers and some of the famous footballers who came into the shop.”

Peter was a very well known figure in Formby village through his paper shop and involvement with the community events, such as the Christmas lights.

Brows Lane news often teemed with school children, who queued up to buy Peter’s famous penny sweets.

Visitors to Formby often bought drinks from the shop on their way to the pinewoods, and swimmers from Formby Pool often called in too.

Tony Higginson, who ran the neighbouring Pritchards, said: “It is with great regret I hear of the passing of Peter.

He was a true gentleman and worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever known both for his own family and also for his community. He and Nancy ran the village news next to Pritchards for over 10 years and worked seven days a week always with a smile on their faces.

They were entrepreneurial but in a good way, they tried different things for the benefit of their customers and made sure that so many people used the centre of the village as a vital shopping location.

I bumped into Peter every so often over the past few years and again always felt he was a perfect role model for a family man who wanted to be part of a community.

Everyone in Formby will have fond memories of him and our sincere thoughts go to his family in this very sad time.”

Peter was survived by his two children, Georgina and Frederick. For funeral details contact Moisters.

Formby Bubble sends our deepest sympathy to Peters family and friends, a lovely man that always had time for a chat and always a big smile. Our sincere condolances.

Story and Photo Source: Southport Visiter