AN Oxford sweeper driver who had a heart attack while driving his car has been remembered as a 'gentleman' and an 'inspiration'.

Tributes have poured in for Richard Hamilton, 71, who died last Friday morning after going into cardiac arrest while driving along a rural road linking Oxford Road south of Hinksey Hill and the village of Sunningwell.

Police, paramedics, an air ambulance and the fire service attended at about 10.30am but the Littlemore grandfather-of-three died at the scene.

thisisoxfordshire: Richard Hamilton, who died after he had a heart attack while driving.

They were helped by an unknown farmer who came to the scene before the emergency services arrived.

Rebecca Hamilton was in the car with her father through it all.

The 31-year-old said: "It was just an ordinary day, we were driving to my sister's house in Sunningwell when my dad suddenly started to have a heart attack and lost control of the car.

"He hadn't had any heart problems before and that was why it has been such a shock." "A farmer from Sunningwell, I don't know his name, came and gave him CPR before the paramedics and air ambulance arrived but there was nothing more they could do.

"There are no words for how grateful we are to the farmer and all the emergency services who helped.

"Thank you doesn't seem good enough but it's all I've got."

Oxford City Council colleagues called Mr Hamilton a 'gentleman' and spoke of his pride in keeping Oxford's street's clean.

Lee Proper said: “I learned so much from Richard, he would always be willing to share experiences and methods of work – a font of knowledge and a go to man.”

Louise Porter added: “He was a gentleman – someone you could trust – always willing to help or give advice and the pride in his work was there for all to see.”

Peter Liptrot echoed this, saying: “He was an expert sweeper driver, taught others and always had pride in his sweeper, it was probably the cleanest on the council.

"He was known for the way he cleaned it and regularly was covered from top to toe after power washing it.”

Mr Hamilton, who had worked as a sweeper driver for the local authority since 2003, spent the majority of his free time helping with the 22nd Oxford Sea Scout Group, which is based near Donnington Bridge.

Fellow sweeper, Vince Adcock, recalled: “I have a passion for fishing and I would see Richard on the lakes and rivers around Oxford in all weathers, spending time with the sea cadets and teaching them how to sail and be safe.

"We had a lot of banter as I said it wasn’t my poor fishing, it must have been the boats stopping me getting a bite.”

Ms Hamilton, who is the younger sister of Claire Stanhope and Kerri Keeble, said volunteering with the scouts was something he had done all her life, but his other passion was travelling.

The mother-of-one said: "Last year he finally got to New Zealand, which was one of his life dreams.

"He loved how beautiful the country is and my sisters and I are grateful he got to there before his death.

"He went in October and only came back in January.

"He rented a campervan and drove across New Zealand, he told us about making friends with a wallaby and waiting two hours to see a geyser go off."

"He was an amazing man and an inspiration. He was loved by everyone that met him and doted on his children and grandchildren."

Mr Hamilton's manager Ian Thompson, city council streetscene operations manager said: “The whole Streetscene team are devastated by the sudden loss of Richard.

“He was always a joy to work with and a wonderful presence to be around.

"In the mornings he was always one of the first to work, greeted everyone with a smile and a chirpy good morning, and was always the go to man if anyone needed any help or advice.

"He was very proud to be part of this team and his tireless work to keep Oxford clean and tidy. He will be greatly missed by us all.”