FAMILY and friends of a popular and intelligent Coedpoeth engineer are to walk nine miles in his memory.

Andrew Beadle died on July 26 at Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham.

He was 49-years-old and had been staying at the hospice for 17 weeks.

His mother and father, Veronica and David Beadle, told the Leader their son had been involved in a collision 12 months ago while driving in County Durham.

During his subsequent hospital treatment, doctors discovered he had a brain tumour.

Mr Beadle said: "He had a seizure at the wheel.

"He felt funny and tried to pull over, but he bounced into the central reservation.

"Luckily the chap behind him was a scaffolder and saw what had happened. He broke the window with a scaffolding pole, released his airways and called for an ambulance.

"There was a doctor five cars back as well, which was lucky, or he could have died there and then."

Mrs Beadle said her son, who worked as an electrical engineer at Wilson Bell in Winsford, had not experienced a seizure prior to the collision, but after it he had many small ones - which increasingly had an impact on his health.

Andrew Beadle had two HNC's (Higher National Certificates) - one each in Art and Electrical Engineering.

He spoke several languages including Italian, French and Spanish and had a flair for mathematics.

"He was very good at formulas," Mr Beadle said. "If you told him your date of birth, he could tell you what day it was. He was very precise.

"He enjoyed painting, was a fitness fanatic and did athletics and weightlifting - and he loved walking.

"When Wales played in the world cup in France two or three years ago, he walked and hitched all the way there. He was very adventurous."

Prior to the downturn in his health Mr Beadle, who lived in Coedpoeth with his wife Tina, had planned a walk from Minera Mountain to Llangollen to take place this month.

It was to mark exactly 12 months since his accident and he was determined to complete it, his mother said.

Now his friends, family and colleagues are to complete the walk in his memory while raising money for Nightingale House Hospice.

Mrs Beadle said: "We will be setting off from the Trig Point at Minera Mountain at precisely 8.31am on Sunday (August 18) - that was the time his accident happened.

"We're expecting a lot of people. We have arranged a minibus to take people from Coedpoeth to the mountain, and back from Llangollen. Anyone is welcome to come."

Speaking of their support of Nightingale House, she added: "He loved it here. I have never seen him smile so much in his life. "They were wonderful with him and we can never repay them for what they gave to him."

Mr Beadle's funeral took place at Coedpoeth Catholic Church on August 5, then at Pentrebychan Crematorium.

His ashes were laid at the Horseshoe Pass by his friend Marc Jones, as he had requested.

He also leaves behind his sister Lesley, step children Claire and Sarah, as well as step grandchildren Matthew, Rhys, Alfie, Lily and Hollie.