In memory of our beloved father, Wayne Woodgate

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of a beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend, Wayne Woodgate. He was recently discovered in a woodland area in East Sussex, and the circumstances have been treated as a murder investigation - a man has been charged with murder.

We are devastated by this tragic loss and cannot begin to express the depth of our sorrow. We remain hopeful that those responsible are brought to justice and have every faith in the police that they are working extremely hard to ensure this.

We could not have anticipated these horrific events and would love to be able to give our Dad the send off he deserves - a real celebration of life, in 'Wayne' style. We are appealing to all family, friends and the local community as we seek to raise money to help us cover the costs of the funeral and memorial services.

We do not yet know the complete cost of a funeral service. All funds raised will go towards the funeral arrangements and wake - anything surplus will be donated to charity.

Our father was a loving and dedicated family man who brought joy and warmth to everyone he met. He was a playful funny man with a great sense of humour. He was a social butterfly who went out of his way to speak with everyone and anyone. He was a colourful character. He lived life by his own rules and whilst we didn’t agree with every action or decision he made, we will celebrate every part of him. He was a kind-hearted man who always meant well and we know that he would be grateful for all of the friendship and support that has been shared during this difficult time.

He will be missed dearly by so many. Thank you to everyone who gave our Dad the time, love and friendship that he deserved. He was taken from us much before his time - there was still so much left for him to do and be a part of, experience and achieve. We feel utterly robbed.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for any donations.

We will announce funeral arrangements in the coming days/weeks and hope to see all of you there.

With love and sincere thanks

George + family