Friends and family of Peter Moy have paid tributes to a man who played a big part in island life.

Peter, who was 75, died on May 1. He contracted Covid-19 after having heart surgery in Liverpool.

Peter worked as a newsagent, ran a chippy and later worked as a taxi driver. He was also a keen golfer and played football for Corinthians.

’He had such a lot of friends,’ said his wife, June. ’Peter also loved having his family around him. We always have a lot of get-togethers with the extended family.

’He loved Christmas. Everybody had to come round to ours.’

His best friend, John Campbell, whom he knew from the age of 15, said: ’He was such a good friend. He really was world class.’

He didn’t mind admitting that when he heard the news, he cried for two days.

Peter was sent to Liverpool for an angiogram on March 10. Surgeons said he needed a bypass and, following surgery, he eventually returned to the island on April 1.

Lockdown meant June couldn’t see him in hospital there.

Then, when home, he fell ill with coronavirus at home and was taken to Noble’s, where he died on May 1.

The situation for the family was even more heartbreaking because they couldn’t visit. June could see him, but only through a screen.

Peter and June moved to the Isle of Man in 1973.

They had been living in Manchester but decided to escape from the three-day weeks and economic gloom there.

His childhood friend, Mr Campbell, had already moved to the island and told Peter that there was a newsagents shop for sale in Onchan. Peter and June moved over and took over the shop and were soon well-known faces in the village.

’We thought we could try for a better life in the island,’ said June.

They made a success of it and were in the village for 12 years.Many might remember Peter driving a red Mini Moke around the village dropping off girls and boys on their paper rounds in Onchan and Douglas.

One was our editor, Richard Butt, who delivered papers to homes in Summerhill Road, Onchan Park and Alberta Drive. ’Peter was a great first boss,’ he said. ’If I hadn’t done that paper round and read all the papers on the way I probably wouldn’t be doing what I do now.’

The original shop, on the main road, was knocked down to make way for the roundabout at the top of Summerhill Road in the mid-80s.

The Moys then moved to premises in the small parade of retailers at the top of Summerhill Road.

Peter and June went on to run a chip shop in Castletown for nine years and became familiar faces there too.

June said: ’I really remember Peter as a hard worker. He worked so hard for his family.

The couple had three children - Peter, Jason and Helen - and they now have four grandchildren too.

While the funeral was a small affair because of the restrictions during the lockdown, taxi drivers and his golf partners lined the road to the cemetery to say a final farewell to their old friend.