The survivor of a brutal machete attack six years ago after a prowler broke into his home has died.

Larry Woolgar, a former manager at the English Sports Shop, was 66.

David Hamshere, the president of Tess Ltd, which owns the English Sports Shop on Front Street, Hamilton, said Mr Woolgar, who lived on Richmond Road in Pembroke, was well liked by colleagues.

Mr Hamshere added: “Larry was an excellent person who worked with us in a few capacities; it’s a real tragedy.

“Larry was someone who would hold his own in an exchange, and he would push back if he didn’t feel my view was the right view.”

He said: “There’s no doubt that the trauma affected the rest of his life. He was a man of principle who would make an effort to defend himself.”

Mr Woolgar climbed the ranks at the English Sports Shop and in 1980 became the first Bermudian to manage its branch of the tailoring firm Alexandre of London. He suffered serious injuries in February 2013 during the break-in.

He was hit the neck with a machete, which almost severed a major artery, and also suffered injuries to the face and right hand.

His attacker, a 45-year-old man from Pembroke, was later imprisoned for 13 years at Supreme Court after he admitted aggravated burglary and causing grievous bodily harm.

Mr Woolgar told The Royal Gazette after the sentencing: “I honestly didn’t think I was going to live to see another day.”

He fought back after the intruder threatened to kill him, and credited his security cameras for the intruder’s fast capture.

Mr Woolgar added that he felt his attacker’s sentence should have been longer. He said: “My solace is that while there was some disturbance in my life, I’m not a drama person. I don’t dwell on things.”