A grieving widow today paid tribute to the ''love of her life'' who lost his fight for life four days after an accident at work.

Billy Grange, 44, of Windhill, Shipley, suffered a punctured lung and broken leg, shoulder and ribs when a chunk of stone fell on him at Bank Top Quarry, Lee Lane, near Wilsden, during his first day at work for M & M Yorkshire Stone Products.

Mr Grange, who had worked in the stone industry all his life, died at Leeds Infirmary, with his wife Denise, 46, by his side, - two days after the birth of his grand-daughter Chloe, whom he never saw.

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation and an inquest into Mr Grange's death was due to open later today.

Mr and Mrs Grange had been together for seven years and married for the last four.

Mrs Grange said: "Everyone loved Billy and he was a person who liked to be loved. He was the love of my life.''

Mr Grange leaves two children from a previous marriage - Steven, 24, and Debbie, 21 - stepson Wayne Moye, 24, stepdaughters, Donna, 21, and Nicola, 17, and Donna's two children, 18-month-old Sam and baby Chloe.

Mr Moye said: "He was a fit and strong guy so this came as a complete bolt from the blue just before Christmas. The doctors and nurses worked so hard to give him every chance. He was very strong-willed and hung on for a few days but in the end he'd just had enough."

He added: "So many people loved him - I've never known anyone with so many friends and we're expecting 200 to 300 people at the funeral on Thursday.

"He was a real family man and all he lived for was to make my mum happy - he was our stepfather but has always been like a dad to us.

"He was supposed to be going into business with a friend in the New Year and had just taken this job to tide him over Christmas."

No one was available to comment from M & M. An HSE spokesman said: "We're interviewing other employees and carrying out tests."

The funeral at Nab Wood Crematorium begins at 1.30pm.

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