TRIBUTES have been paid to an 83-year-old man who died after setting himself on fire when he dropped his cigarette.

Thomas Johnson, pictured, suffered 70 per cent burns when he dropped his early-morning cigarette onto his pyjamas.

Wife June Johnson doused her husband with water as firefighters raced to their Brown Edge home at 6.30am on Friday.

But Mr Johnson was seriously injured and died in hospital at 6.50pm on Saturday.

Now firefighters are visiting Brown Edge this week to offer fire prevention advice to villagers.

It is the fifth fatal fire involving pensioners in Staffordshire this year.

Grandfather-of-six Mr Johnson, of Hough Hill, had been having a smoke while waiting for his carer.

Mrs Johnson, aged 71, said: "I cannot believe this has happened. He'll always be remembered for his loving way and how he was with people. It didn't matter who came to the door he made them welcome.

"He loved his family and lived for his grandchildren who he was always trying to make laugh even after he became ill."

Mr Johnson was born in Norton Green in 1927 and had six brothers Ernest, Cliff, Graham, Eric, Jim and Rex and two sisters Enid and Grace.

He attended Endon High School before working at Sneyd Brickworks, in Cheddleton, and for Staffordshire County Council's parks and gardens.

Daughter Fay Bradbury, aged 38, of High Lane, Brown Edge, said: "My dad did the same thing every day.

"He would get up at 5am and mum would make his breakfast and a cup of tea and get his tablets and clothes ready for the carer.

"Then he had his usual cigarette, which was his treat because he couldn't read papers or watch TV as his eyesight wasn't very good.

"This has all happened so fast. We're all still numb and expecting to still see him sitting in the garden.

"It's harder because his death was an unexpected accident. It's left a huge hole in all of his friends' and family's lives."

Daughter Zoe, aged 35, of Hough Hill, said: "He loved music and playing in brass bands. He loved gardening and the grandchildren have planted some flowers in his memory."

Mr Johnson also had a third daughter Melanie, aged 43, of Denford.

He was a grandfather to Joe, aged 24, Laura, aged 20, William, aged 16, eight-year-old Molly and Layla and Izaak, aged five.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has previously visited the Johnsons to offer fire prevention advice.

Stoke-on-Trent's assistant area commander Glynn Luznyj said: "We are doing everything we can to reduce the risk of fire in our communities.

"We'd visited this man and provided him with fire protection.

"But this incident showed that cigarettes can quickly catch alight to clothing with tragic consequences.

"There are still vulnerable people out there whose lives could be saved by the protection we offer and we urge family members and carers of these people to contact us."

Other pensioners killed in Staffordshire fires this year include Beryl Wain, of Sparch Avenue, Wolstanton; Gillian Bromley, aged 65, of South Street, Stafford; and Elsie Allerton, aged 89, of Macdonald Crescent, Meir.

To book a free Home Fire Risk Check call 0800 0241999.

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