'Generous soul' motor museum creator dies

Patrick Hawkins had been a car enthusiast and collector since he was 11-years-old

A car enthusiast and creator of a local motor museum who was "a generous soul", has died.

Patrick Hawkins, the owner of Taunton's County Classics Motor Museum, died "very suddenly" on Wednesday, aged 68.

On social media his team said he fought "against all odds" to open the venue full of cars he had collected since he was 11-years-old, despite struggling with a heart defect.

In a statement, his fellow workers said his love for cars and the museum would be his "legacy".

"One of the nicest, kindest and most generous souls you could hope to meet," they said.

"Pat has personally greeted almost every visitor [to the museum].

"Pat quietly overcame many battles in his life and when the Musgrove Hospital flew a surgeon from USA to carry out a unique and life-saving operation on his heart, he wanted to give something back to the town of Taunton and county of Somerset that he loved so much.

"The County Classics Motor Museum, achieved against the odds through the materials crisis and rising costs of Covid, would be his legacy."

Richard Hammond officially opened the museum in 2023

Mr Hawkins' motor museum, which includes around 200 cars and motorcycles from the 1960s to 1990s, was opened in 2023.

It gained the attention of former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond, who attended the opening to cut the ribbon.

The team said the museum would be closed for a few days "to give staff time to come to terms with the loss of their leader and inspiration" – but will reopen on Tuesday, "as Pat would have wished".