‘There was not a bad word spoken about him’

Paul Oldfield, who lived in Whitegate, was a distinguished GP at the Weaverham Surgery in Northwich Road, from 1976 to 2005 when he was forced to retire through ill health.

Senior partner Dr Robert Royle said: “He built a thriving and successful practice.

“He never stopped working hard, always putting patients first. He was highly respected by his colleagues.”

Dr Oldfield raised funds for St Luke’s Hospice over many years, devoting much of his spare time to this cause.

He was secretary of Northwich Medical Society for eight years and during his illness he fought to keep the Victoria Infirmary in Northwich open.

On of his patients Norma Carter said: “He was a wonderful doctor. When he retired everybody missed him.

“He was so kind. Every time we went in to see him he had this lovely smile on his face ready to take on your ailment with confidence.

“We have lost a lovely man who I am sure all in our village loved.”

On our forum Peter said: “My most recent and vivid recollection of him was when I drove my mother to the surgery one morning with a pain in her chest.

“Within a few minutes he appeared and sat beside me in the waiting room.

“Even though she’d had a heart attack he made me feel everything was in hand, that the ambulance would be just a few minutes.”

Norma added: “There was not a bad word spoken about him.”

Dr Oldfield is survived by his wife, son and daughter.