Tributes have been paid to the “truly inspirational” former boss of a Flintshire firm who died this week.

Malcolm Morgan, 80, had been chairman of the P&A Group in Mold, which runs the Woodworks Garden Centre, as well as some timber manufacturing divisions.

He passed away in his sleep on Thursday morning at the Pendine Park Care Home, where he had been cared for after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, with his family by his side.

His wife Margaret said: “I would like to say thank you in particular to those at P&A who supported Malcolm and I during his illness, and I would also like to say how proud he would be of the whole family for looking after each other.”

Mr Morgan, who lived in Llanferres, was born in Dundee into a family spanning five generations of timber manufacturing. He went to Gordonstoun school in Morayshire before doing his National Service aged 18 in 1955.

He moved to North Wales in 1967 started work for Flintshire Woodlands, before taking a job making pallets for Mold-based Palliser and Ashgrove.

When Palliser and Ashgrove closed down in 1985, he bought the firm’s site the same week and built up his own company, calling it P&A Fencing & Sheds, which is now known as the P&A Group.

It employs over 200 people from Mold and the surrounding areas.

His son Steve, said: “David and I would like to pay tribute to our father for his generous and fair approach to life and business.

“We know he would be very proud of what we have been able to achieve as a family business and we hope to continue to be an important part of the British timber industry, as I know this is what he would have wanted.”

Mr Morgan retired as managing director at P&A in 2000.

Speaking on behalf of the staff at P&A, Rhys Hughes, operations director said: “Our thoughts go out to Margaret, David, Steve and the family at this difficult time.

“Malcolm was a truly inspirational boss, so passionate about both the business and all of the people within it. A very genuine and honest person who was so well thought of, not only here at P&A, but also in the wider timber industry.”

“He was a true gentleman and will be missed by us all,” Rhys added.

Mr Morgan is survived by hiw wife, two sons and grandchildren Eve, Ben, Sam and Nell.