THE woman who shared a last dance with pensioner Alan Irwing before he was killed, has expressed her shock and grief over his death.

Wendy Muspratt is organiser of the Chiltern Square Dance Club, an American square dancing group who meet every Thursday night at Hughenden Valley Village Hall.

Mr Irwing spent the evening of Thursday, May 19, enjoying himself at the club before he was killed near his home.

Mrs Muspratt said: "He was a regular club member who will be sorely missed.

"I knew him for getting on for 15 or 16 years. He has always been around, since the club started."

She added: "There were not many weeks he missed.

"He was quiet, but always enjoyed a chat about football with my husband. He was a great square dancer.

"This has been quite a shock."

Mr Irwing, who had worked as a furniture salesman for JC and MP Smith for more than 30 years, was a very active member of the dance community.

He had made many friends at the tea dances and line dancing classes he regularly attended.

Close friends and dance partners from across the Wycombe area have spoken of the loss of a quiet, unassuming gentleman who enjoyed all kinds of dance.

Len Brown, 76, organises tea dances at the Royal British Legion. He knew Mr Irwing well and always enjoyed chatting with him.

He said: "He really was a charming man, I just could not believe it when I found out.

"We always used to spend a lot of time together at the tea dances in Booker. We used to chat away together for hours."

He added: "He was a nice man, a good friend.

"We would talk about all the types of dance he was involved in, especially line dancing and country dancing."

Unfortunately, Mr Brown missed his regular Thursday afternoon dance at the St Birinus Church hall last week.

He said: "I did not go to the dance at Booker, so I didn't see him the last time.

"I really will miss him at the dances."

Mr Irwing, was member of the Silver Star Line Dance club, run by Annie Saw.

She said: "I was very shocked when I heard, I do not know why it happened.

"I cannot understand why anybody would attack somebody like that."

She added: "He just loved line dancing.

"He was a quiet man, very unassuming.

"He had been coming for a good few years. He came along and joined in with everybody else.

"I just cannot understand it."