Striking binman heartbroken over wife's death at 36

Tammy Morris, who had been married to Steve for nearly 20 years, died suddenly last month

A Birmingham binman has been left heartbroken after his wife suddenly died.

Friends have rallied round Steve Morris, who is among refuse workers striking in the long-running dispute over pay with the city council.

His wife Tammy, 36, had been a fundraiser for strikers and rapidly grew popular on the picket lines, bringing supplies to keep people going, said friend Sam Yates.

"Tammy was really great, being out in the cold weather with us handing out 70 bacon sandwiches at five o'clock in the morning," he said.

"She turned up at every picket just to keep the lads and ladies on the lines."

Mrs Morris was one of the organisers behind a strikers' GoFundMe page, which has now been used to raise more than £2,500 towards her funeral costs, Mr Yates said.

She also adored her two dogs and would dress them in high-vis jackets with Birmingham City Council printed on them while on their daily walk, prompting people to ask, "Why are they dressed up?"

'Absolutely shocked'

"She would use that opportunity to then explain to them why the bin workers were on strike, to spread awareness and support," Mr Yates said.

"When people would be slagging us off striking, she would put all the points across and correct them, telling them exactly what we were standing out there for."

Her death last month has come as a huge shock to all who knew her, and Mr Yates said it was only right to give back, honouring a woman who did so much for them.

"I was absolutely shocked when I heard, I can only imagine how Steve is feeling losing the love of his life," he said.

"We called a meeting on the picket line to organise what we could do to support the funeral and him."

He said although it has been hard financially for those striking, no-one had questioned the idea of coming together to support one of their own.

"Funeral's are not exactly cheap, costing about £7,500," said Mr Yates

"We just wanted to get it out there to anyone that wanted to help and give her the send off that she deserves for the work that she did for us."