Tributes have been paid to an “enormously popular” father-of-three who was killed in a horror motorway crash.
Alan Walmsley, 62, of Mardale Road, Longridge, was driving a Spar lorry and trailer on the M6 north of Burton-in-Kendal at 8.15am on Monday, when it was involved in an eight-vehicle pile up.
Officers believe that a large shunt occurred while some of the vehicles were stationary in traffic.
A team of around 30 police officers and 25 other emergency crews were deployed to the scene, but Mr Walmsley and Michael Raymond Proctor, 22, of Southport, who was driving a blue flat lorry, died at the scene.
Mr Walmsley had been secretary of AFC Longridge for the past 10 years, where he forged a partnership with team manager Joe Dewhurst.
Lancashire Sunday League chairman Eamonn McNamara said that Mr Walmsley was “kind, considerate and unassuming”.
He said: “At times like this people do say that someone was well-liked, but that term was made for Alan.
“Everybody liked Alan and there was never a bad word to be said about him. He was part of the furniture in the league and was an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Mr McNamara added: “Over my time with the league there has been some terrible times when people have tragically lost their lives, but I have never in my life experienced anything like this.
“The number of people who contacted me on Monday was was unbelievable. The phone didn’t stop ringing until 11pm.
“Alan’s death is a massive loss to everyone. He loved his football, and at this level the league is a family. Everyone’s been affected by this.”
Mr Walmsley leaves wife Jacqueline, children Jason, Ian and Donna and siblings Gary, Malcolm, Neil and Elaine.
Of the other six drivers involved in the crash, police said that nobody else suffered life-threatening injuries.
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