'The ultimate love story': Son's tribute to Andy and Helen Howarth after couple's deaths

Tributes have been paid to Cleckheaton-based businessman Andy Howarth and his wife, Helen, after their son revealed the couple had died.

Mr Howarth was a police officer with West Yorkshire Police from 1973 until 2003, before setting up HR and legal services company Howarths alongside his wife.

In 2017, the couple launched the Howarths Foundation, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness in Leeds and Kirklees by helping them secure employment.

In a moving tribute posted on LinkedIn, Andy and Helen's son Gavin said: "I am so desperately sad to say, that both my Mum and Dad, Helen and Andy Howarth, have passed away.

"If you've seen anything that I've posted on this platform, you will have seen what Mum and Dad meant to me and my brother, Chris, and to our family business, Howarths."

Gavin said he remembered his father telling him and his brother the story of how he met their mum.

"He was besotted from the start," Gavin said.

"He proposed next to the Cutty Sark in London, to which Mum said 'no'. He used to tell us how the car ride home was a quiet one, but in the end, she came round.

"They married, bought a house locally, and grew a family. I came first, followed by my brother 18 months later."

Reflecting on their childhood, Gavin added: "Whilst Dad worked hard in the Police over a 30-year career to provide for us, Mum raised me and my brother with an immeasurable amount of love.

"They didn't have loads of money during this time, but it was always enough for what we needed."

After retiring from the police force, Andy and Helen fulfilled their dream of starting a business from home.

Gavin said that while "Dad was always the spearhead", he would never have done it without Helen's support, love and encouragement, "not to mention her savviness with numbers".

He added: ""After 45 years of marriage, they were the ultimate love story. Even in the last weeks before they passed, as they had done for the 45 years previous, they text each other throughout the day.

"One of their last exchanges - 'Love you mate', 'Love you Mrs H. I'll always be here for you'.

"And now they are together again, as they always were in life."