Heartfelt tributes paid to ‘caring' Portsmouth Citizens Advice manager, 38, who died of sudden illness just days after complaining of a cold and a ‘sore neck’ at work

Workers at Citizens Advice in Portsmouth were stunned to learn of the loss of their colleague, Wayne Grice, who died aged 38 on Wednesday. 

The office manager was sent home from the service’s Winston Churchill Avenue base less than two weeks ago, complaining of a sore neck and showing symptoms of a cold. 

But just days after calling into work to say he had finished a course of medication for a throat and chest infection he was rushed into Queen Alexandra Hospital. 

It was there he was diagnosed with leukaemia and pneumonia before his condition rapidly declined and he died – leaving his loved ones numb in shock. 

In a touching tribute, Sandy O’Neill, chief officer at Portsmouth Citizens Advice, said she and her peers ‘loved and thought the world’ of Wayne, who worked for the organisation for 18 years. 

‘He was a rock to all of us and he was the beating heart of Citizens Advice Portsmouth,' she said. 

'I knew little about Citizens Advice in Portsmouth when I joined three years ago but Wayne knew all there was to know and I grew to depend on him. We all did.’ 

She added: ‘Our hearts go out to Wayne’s family as they try to cope at this devastating time.’ 

Wayne was described as someone who ‘never had a day off sick' and was the ‘first in’ and ‘last out’ of the office. 

During his time working for Citizens Advice Portsmouth he played a key role in shaping the organisation's local policy, which his colleagues say will go on to benefit its ‘team and clients for years to come’.

Sandy said: ‘His compassion and dedication to making people’s lives better was evident in everything he did.

‘There are countless thousands of citizens that have benefited from our service because of Wayne's support and management.

‘His loss to both the organisation and city will be immense.’ 

She added: ‘Wayne wanted to see nothing more than our service succeed – he was proud of and passionate about his work.

‘The time, effort and dedication he gave to us all was incredible.

‘He was undoubtedly, the kindest, most caring person we have all had the pleasure of knowing and working with.’ 

Wayne leaves behind his mum, dad and three brothers.