A village club is keeping the memory of a popular member alive by naming their new driveway in his honour – and his mother said that the community still continues to support her almost eight years after he lost his life.

Sam Myatt was just 20 when he died following a road traffic collision on the A518 between Haughton and Stafford in January 2019.

The keen footballer, who played for Gnosall AFC and coached younger members, was familiar with the road and had passed his driving test just weeks before the tragedy.

An inquest into his death, which took place later in 2019, heard that he may have felt pressured to speed up by a car driving behind him, before his vehicle came off the road and hit a tree.

His grieving family raised around £40,000 in his memory through events including a bike ride from London to Paris, a Hadrian's Wall walk, gin festival and beer festival. Initially they hoped the funds could be used for a building at his former school, Gnosall St Lawrence Primary, or a clubhouse for Gnosall AFC but these plans were affected by a number of factors in recent years, including rising construction costs.

The family's involvement with Gnosall AFC has continued, with Sam's younger brothers playing for the club while their mum, Liz Stanley, serves as secretary.

The driveway at the entrance to their home ground at Gnosall Sports and Social Club is being resurfaced to improve conditions for visitors, using funds the family raised.

The road leading to the club, Forresters Lane, is already named in memory of former Gnosall residents, Liz said.

And on Saturday, September 26, Sam Myatt Way will be officially opened, leading from Forresters Lane to the club.

Residents and supporters are invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony at 12pm.

It will be followed by community activities including barbecue food, games and bouncy castles.

Liz said: "When we held Sam's funeral the collection went to the club and that's how the fundraising started.

"Then Covid happened, and it went a bit quiet, and there was the cost of living.

"Somebody mentioned the club's road was quite potholed and they were looking at resurfacing it.

"They said how about we put the money towards that and have the new road named after Sam rather than a building?

"Not many people have had a road named after them.

"Our aim is to still keep fundraising for some changing rooms in Sam's name."

Improvements to the Gnosall meeting place are not the only legacy Sam has left in his home village however.

In the months after his death, Staffordshire County Council took action to improve safety on the A518, including removal of a tree by the side of the road and installation of large high-visibility chevron signs.

Liz worked with Gnosall Parish Council and the county council to create a driving awareness course for young drivers, to help them feel safer on the roads and react to hazards such as tailgating.

She said: "If it helps just one person, it is worth it.

"Sam is still in the village, at the cemetery, and we are still in the same house.

"That's where our memories are.

"His brother Charlie is 18 and will be starting driving, and his younger brother Henry is nearly 16.

"They are nearly the age Sam was, and it won't be long before they overtake his age.

"Sam would have been 28 in November.

"A lot of people still talk about him – you do have to keep talking about him and I would rather that than for people to ignore the situation.

"A lot of people knew Sam around here.

"It's a very supportive community and people have been brilliant."