Family 'devastated' at death after hit and run

The family of a Black Country father who has died a week after a hit and run crash in Oldbury today said they were "devastated" by his death.

Motorcyclist David Rudge, aged 57, was travelling along Portway Road at around on April 9 when his bike crashed with a black X-type Jaguar.

A 46-year-old man was last night arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

He has been bailed pending further inquiries.Today family members have paid tribute to the grandfather-of-13.

Stepson John Lavender, aged 36, of Tipton, said Mr Rudge, who worked at Metal Sections in Oldbury for more than 20 years, was riding his burgundy 750cc Yamaha Virago on his way to work at 6am when he was hit.

A pedestrian identified the car which sped off.

Mr Lavender, who works at the same company, said he was taken to Sandwell Hospital with a broken leg and had surgery the following day.

He then returned to his home in Hawfield Road on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Lavender, who is married to Laura, and has a one-year-old son Callum, visited Mr Rudge on Saturday.He said: "We were laughing and joking. He was in really good spirits."

But the following morning Mr Rudge became ill and collapsed.Paramedics were called and he was taken to hospital.

But he died from a massive heart attack.

His wife Kath, a registered childminder, today said she was devastated by his death.

She said: "We had planned what we were going to do when we retired. His brother lived in New Zealand and we had all these plans. I don't know how I'm going to cope.

"We were more than best friends, we were soul mates."