Family share memories of Shropshire County Show stalwart who will be 'missed massively'

Tributes have poured in for Lance Jackson, a key figure in the Shropshire County Show, since he died on December 29, aged 77.

Lance, who had a heart valve replaced around 25 years ago, suffered a heart attack two days after Christmas, and despite the best efforts of medics, died in hospital two days later.

It came as a big shock to his family, after they had enjoyed a trip to Lance's native Liverpool before getting together for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Helen Hughes, daughter of Lance's partner Norma, said: "Everybody loved him, we'll miss him massively. He was always there for us.

"He took us to Liverpool every year at Christmas where we would go ice skating."

"Lance thought he could ice skate but he really couldn't," she joked.

"Normally we would go after Christmas, but this year we went on December 17. We had two nights at the Titanic Hotel. He drove and on the way home he went everywhere he used to go, to his old house, to a bench he used to sit on and log down the numbers of the cars. He was a bit of a nerd. It was like a Lance history tour on the way home. When he was poorly in hospital, we wondered if he must have known...

"We did have a brilliant time, and we spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day together."

Among many roles of high responsibility in a long and varied career in the agricultural world, Lance was the chair of the board of trustees of the West Midlands Agricultural Society, which runs the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury. Lance played a key role in the running of several events at the showground including the Shropshire County Show - one of the region's most important events which attracts tens of thousands to the area.

At the 2022 show, Lance was in fine form, meeting and greeting dignitaries, helping out where he could and observing from the pavilion balcony with Norma at his side as everything came together.

"He took me along every year from the year I was born," said Helen. "He came from a well to do family, but all he wanted to do was farm in Shropshire. That was his lifelong ambition, which he fulfilled."

Helen also praised medics for the care they gave Lance. "The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital staff were amazing," she said. "They tried everything. I can't fault them, they were brilliant."