Wife's tribute to car crash victim

A wife today paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband who died following a car crash in Kingswinford just months after becoming a grandfather for the first time.

Geoffrey Harris, aged 56, of Abberley Road, Lower Gornal, died at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital after being involved in a two-car crash. Mr Harris' wife Valerie said his daughter Kelly had been left distraught by his death.

He died just five months before Kelly's wedding.

In a statement today Mrs Harris said: "As a loving wife to my husband of 36 years, I am deeply upset and distraught, as are my family in regard to this untimely death and unknown circumstances surrounding the incident that has been thrust upon our family.

"Geoff, as he was known by us all, was a loving husband, and had an addictive cheeky personality.

"He was a generous and funny man, and well liked by all his friends and family.

"He had recently become grandfather to his only daughter Kelly's first newly born son Jacob, aged eight months, who he doted on.

"My daughter Kelly is distraught at the news of losing her father to such a tragic incident, and now raising Jacob without a grandfather in his life."

She added that Mr Harris would be missed by all of his friends and family including his brothers Peter, Ian and Chris and his sisters Dianne and Anne.

Emergency crews were called to Stallings Lane at 5.03am on Monday after a blue Vauxhall Astra and a red Renault Megane collided. Mr Harris was found in cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital, where he later died.

A 69-year-old man from Dudley was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been bailed pending further inquiries.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them. Anyone with information should call the collision investigation unit on 101.