Former world darts champion Scott Waites has led tributes to 'gentle giant' Javeed Ghaffar who died after being dragged into machinery at a Golcar textile firm.

Fixby-based Scott, 40, twice BDO world champion, was close friends with darts player Javeed, known to friends as Gaff or Gaffer.

Larger-than-life Javeed, a dad of two from Newsome, was no mean darts player himself and Scott said: “We are all still in shock.

“Gaff was a really good mate and a very well liked bloke. He was a real gentle giant. I would play darts with him on a Monday night and I would speak to him two or three times a week, more than I’d speak to my mum!

“He’ll be sadly missed by a lot of people.”

Javeed, 51, died while working on the night shift at IFG Drake in Victoria Lane, Golcar.

Javeed Ghaffar
Javeed Ghaffar

Emergency services were called to Victoria Mills at 2.10am on Friday but Javeed was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.

Javeed, who leaves a wife Helen and children Chloe and Cameron, played darts for the Lockwood pub. He was due to play a match against his former team at the Foresters pub in Crosland Moor on the night of his death but had to stand down because he was working the night shift.

Scott said Javeed had been due to take him to an exhibition match in Goole next Friday and added: “He would do anything for anybody. You only had to ask.”

Javeed played darts at the Foresters for several years and landlord Daz Lucks, 52, also paid tribute.

“Gaff was a fun-loving guy with a heart bigger than him,” he said. “He was a hard-working, loving family man. He was a cracking bloke and it’s a massive loss.”

Victoria Mills, Golcar

Javeed’s workmates met up at the weekend and a colleague said: “We went out and had a drink for him. We had a few beers and talked about him and the good times.

“He was a decent guy who liked a laugh. He’d worked here for about 15 years. I didn’t really know him outside work but I knew he loved his darts.

“Whenever there was the annual games day at work he would normally win the darts.

“It’s a shock. No one expects to go to work and not come home.”

The Examiner understands production has been suspended at the firm and a meeting of staff has been called for Tuesday.