A HEARTBROKEN woman has paid tribute to her fiancé after he was killed in a crash.

Simon Lea, from Dursley, died on Monday afternoon when the Cabstar pick-up truck he was driving was in collision with an articulated lorry in Bath Road, Nympsfield. The 46-year-old, who was a driver for Elcombe Fire & Wood, leaves behind his fiancée Sharon Summer and young daughter Dawn. 

Speaking to the Gazette, Miss Summer said: “He was a kind soul who loved life and loved the outdoors and camping in his vintage Land Rover.

“He was the nicest person you would ever meet. He would do anything for anyone." Miss Summer added that the couple were planning to marry soon. “It breaks my heart that he can’t do that now. 
"He loved us so much.” 

Mr Lea's colleagues at Elcombe Fire & Wood, which has bases in Owlpen near Uley and Stroud, have been left devastated by his death.

“All of us here at Elcombe are deeply shaken by the news that one of our drivers was fatally injured in a collision near Nympsfield," a company statement said. 

“Our thoughts are with their family, colleagues and friends right now.” 
After the sad news of Mr Lea's death, dozens of people paid tribute to him with messages on Facebook.

The 55-year-old driver of the lorry involved in the crash was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

He was said to be in stable condition and his injuries were not believed to be life threatening or life changing, a spokesman for Gloucestershire police told the Gazette.

Surrounding roads were closed for around 10 hours following the crash while police investigated.

Officers investigating the collision have made a plea for witnesses to come forward.

They urged anyone who witnessed the crash, or saw the vehicles involved shortly before the collision, to call the 101 number, quoting incident 253 of April 25.