TEN years on since the tragic death of former Matravers headteacher Nigel Gilhespy, a road named in his honour was unveiled this week.

Gilhespy Way was opened on Wednesday as part of Barratt Homes’ White Horse View housing estate in Westbury – a town Mr Gilhespy held very close to his heart while he was at the helm of the secondary school for 19 years. He passed away from a brain tumour in 2006.

Elaine Gilhespy, 70, who now lives in Christchurch, said her late husband would have been honoured to know that one of his former pupils went to so much effort to get the road named.

She added: “When they asked about the name and my thoughts on it, there were all sorts of versions but because Nigel did things his way, I thought it would be most fitting to call it Gilhespy Way.

“I know everyone had a high regard for Nigel and he worked so hard for the school.

“He wanted every child to have the best possible education which was right for them and for those who weren’t particularly clever, he still wanted them to reach their potential at what they enjoyed and were good at.

“One thing about Nigel is that at the start of every year at school, the first lesson he would teach the children is how to pronounce his name. I hope the people living here won’t have any problems.”

The road in getting Gilhespy Way named was not an easy one for former Matravers pupil Radek Evans who managed to gather 3,000 signatures and overturn information he was given by Wiltshire Council who told him that roads can only be named after someone who has been dead for longer than a century.

“Nigel did a lot for me,” the 37-year-old of Meadow Lane said. “When I was 11 years old and looking for schools to go, I tried every local school in the area and they all said they couldn’t take me on because I have special needs.

“In the 1980s, schools didn’t have the facilities or support for disabled children and Matravers was my last hope. My mum went to Nigel and offered him money to take me and all he said to her was I don’t want that, I’ll take him on regardless.

“I wanted to do something for him because he gave me an education and so I thought why not name a road after him.”

Mr Gilhespy’s children Jonathan, 41 and Tanya, 44, attended the ceremony with her children Lexie, nine and Jake, seven.