A GRANDAD died in a road crash as he walked to buy a newspaper.

The 88-year-old, named locally as Ron Palmer, was fatally injured on the corner of Ferndale Avenue and Appleton Avenue in Great Barr at 8.15am yesterday.

The retired electrician and keen gardener was said to have lived in Appleton Avenue for more than 50 years.

He was making his daily journey to a newsagent in the same street when the accident happened.

Neighbours Alan and Dorothy Lilly said Mr Palmer, a lifelong Aston Villa fan, was a “pure gent”.

Mr Lilly, aged 78, said: “He would help anybody. We used to swap plants and if anybody was stuck cutting a hedge, he would offer to lend them his tools.