Tributes to Peterborough business owner who died in 'tragic accident' during overseas trip

Tributes have been paid to a Peterborough business owner who died in a ‘tragic accident’ while overseas.

Anthony Barnes (48), a director and co-owner of recruitment company, The One Group, based in Commerce Road, Lynch Wood, was on a business trip when the accident happened.

Mr Barnes, of Stamford, was a veteran of the recruitment industry and spent more than a decade building up his own business.

He was operations director for The One Group, which according to its website, has offices in Cambridge, Peterborough, Northampton, and London, and for which Mr Barnes managed more than 70 specialist consultants and enjoyed spending time with his family and playing golf.

A tribute on The One Group’s Facebook pages states: “It is with the greatest sadness that we share the news that Anthony Barnes, Director and co-owner of The ONE Group has died in a tragic accident whilst on an overseas business trip.

“Ant’s dedication and commitment to the business over the last 20 years has formed extensive relationships internally and externally.

"We know many of you would consider yourselves friends as well as business associates and will be as shocked and saddened as we are.

It adds: “Anthony was an incredibly warm, vibrant, and inspiring leader to everyone at The ONE Group and a larger than life character to everyone that met him.

"His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who knew him.

"His legacy is that he has been instrumental in creating an incredibly strong, connected and loving business that will support each other and ensure Ant’s legacy lives on.

“Our thoughts are with Ant’s family at this unthinkably difficult time.”

Among the many comments left on the Facebook page, colleagues and friends remember Mr Barnes as a person of ‘outstanding character’ and ‘with amazing charisma.’

Others remember him as ‘truly inspirational’ and as a ‘true leader’ and as ‘the life and soul of parties, but at the same time a kind and generous gentleman’ and by another as ‘an absolute legend of a guy and someone who really helped me develop my career in the early days.’