THREE sons have spoken of their grief after their father and disabled brother died when their car was driven off a dockside.

Mark, Dean and Neil Gigg have paid a moving tribute to their severely disabled brother, Lincoln, and their mother and father who devoted their lives to taking care of him.

Sonnie Gigg, 70, and his 39-year-old son, Lincoln, lost their lives after their car went into the water at Sharpness Docks on Monday evening.

The two family dogs, Yorkshire terriers Mizy and Poppy, were also in the car.

The tragedy happened a day after June Gigg, 70, died in Frenchay Hospital where she was being cared for following an operation in a different hospital.

Neil Gigg said: "We're all devastated. We lost our mother on Sunday then our father and brother just afterwards.

"Mum and Dad were a very strong and loving couple who dedicated their lives to Lincoln and making him happy.

"No one who hasn't been in their situation could imagine how hard things were for them. But despite their problems they always made time to care for us and the grandchildren and we take our hats off to them." Born in Hereford and brought up in Bristol, Sonnie Gigg worked as a civil engineer throughout his life having been unable to join the Army due to a motorbike accident.

He worked on projects including the Severn Bridge and M32 while working for several firms in the Bristol area before joining Jordan Engineering Ltd in Yate as a crane operator. He took early retirement from the company about 10 years ago due to ill health He and June, nee Stutt, met in the Southmead area of Bristol where she was born and brought up and she gave up her factory job when they married.

It would have been their 50th wedding anniversary next year and their sons had been planning a big celebration for them.

The couple lived in Southmead for several years and their first three sons, Mark, now 46, Dean, 45, and Neil, 42,were born there.

They moved to Yate soon before Lincoln was born to buy their first home and remained there for 25 years, until they bought a cottage in the Coalpit Heath area of Bristol.

Lincoln was born deaf, dumb and diabetic as a result of his mother having Rubella and he is estimated only ever to have reached the mental age of a three year old.

He therefore required round the clock care, his parents only getting a few hours of respite each day when he attended the Siblands Resource and Activity centre in Thornbury.

Mark said: "Mum and Dad dedicated their lives to Lincoln and giving him a good life. They had to do everything for him.

"He was at the centre during school hours but other than that they did it all, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 39 years; they couldn't have a normal life. Keeping Lincoln happy took over everything else for them."

Dean added: "They did shifts through the night as Lincoln would walk around the house at all hours and they'd take it in turns to get up and look after him.

"They were never able to go abroad on a holiday as they'd worry about how he would react on an aeroplane. They couldn't get help from respite care as he was distressed by this and while people would sometimes help care for him for a bit they didn't like to burden anyone else."

Describing what day to day life for them entailed he continued: "Lincoln had to have his injection every day and they had to make sure he didn't get in the kitchen cupboards to take something that could have too much sugar and therefore be dangerous for his diabetes.

"He had to be shaved and washed and dressed. He enjoyed going to the pub but Dad couldn't relax with him there either as he'd be trying to help himself to a drink. I don't think anyone who hasn't been there could understand what it was like for them."

Explaining how difficult communicating with their youngest brother was, Neil said: "If he'd had enough of being somewhere he'd just go and get Dad's car keys or his shoes, or he would just pick you up out of a chair, he was very strong.

"We would show him affection by rubbing the top of his head which he liked and you could see in his face that being with young children made him happy but he could never really express what was going on inside."

But describing how the couple always had time for others despite their own difficulties, Mark said: "Even though they had so much to put up with, they were always there for you and coming over to help with something like decorating. They would do anything for us and loved the grand-children.

"Even though mum was like a full-time nurse she was always there to care for us and worry about what we were up to and she was always jolly and loving."

Mr Gigg also made time and energy to indulge his passion for rugby and played at the Cotham Park club in Bristol until he was 50 years old.

Explaining that he enjoyed socialising at the British Legion or local, often with Lincoln with him, Neil added: "He was very popular and jovial and at every pub round here everyone knows him."

Describing how successful his parents had been at giving Lincoln as fulfilled a life as possible, Dean reflected: "We found a poem with Mum's things called 'Heaven's Child'.

It's about God finding a place that will be right for a special child and how he will bring joy even if he can never communicate. That is what their life with Lincoln was like."

The brothers, Mr and Mrs Gigg's seven grandchildren aged four to 15 and other members of the family are finding it hard to cope with the triple tragedy.

"But at least they are all together now somewhere, wherever that is", Mark said.

Everyone who knew Mr and Mrs Gigg and Lincoln is invited to the funeral service being held for them at Westerleigh Crematorium in Pucklechurch, Bristol at 3pm on Friday, October 19. This will be followed by a reception at the Coalpit Heath Miners' Club.

Police have launched an investigation into the death of Sonnie and Lincoln Gigg. No third party is suspected to be involved.