David Sykes was a consultant surgeon at Walton Hospital, Liverpool. He was born in Staincliffe, West Yorkshire, on 28 July 1931. His mother’s maiden name was Riley. He was educated at Batley Grammar School prior to studying medicine at Liverpool University. He qualified in 1956 and in that year married Jean. They were to enjoy a close and happy marriage until her death in 2010. He carried out his pre-registration house officer duties at Bradford Royal Infirmary and then joined the department of anatomy at Liverpool University as a demonstrator and clinical research assistant. During this post, he carried out research into the segmental arterial supply of the human kidney by creating arterial casts and subsequently describing the patterns and variations in that supply. For this work he was awarded an MD in 1960. A year later he obtained his FRCS. His surgical training was carried out in the Liverpool region, apart from a short period of overseas service in Bahrain. In 1964, he was awarded a ChM for work on the relationship between renal ischaemia and chronic pyelonephritis. It was at this time that he came under the influence of Philip Hawe, a dedicated thyroid surgeon who had created a thyroid clinic at the David Lewis Northern Hospital and this was to foster his consuming interest in thyroid and endocrine surgery He was appointed as a consultant surgeon to Walton Hospital in 1965, where his deft, assured, surgical touch, coupled with an impressive bedside manner, led to him being in great demand. An abiding memory is that of his unfailing courtesy being extended to all patients, irrespective of background. In a similar vein, he offered total loyalty and support to junior members of his firm who had served him well. His retirement was spent mainly on the Isle of Man, with spells in the Cotswolds and Cumbria, and his hobbies included golf, music and classic cars, of which he owned several. He remained a member of Formby Golf Club from 1966 until his death. He died in Maughold, Isle of Man, on 1 March 2020 at the age of 88 and was survived by his daughter, Philippa, an outpatient manager at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, his son, Nick, an artist with a special interest in classic cars, and two grandchildren.