Fathers die in head-on collision

Emergency services called to the three-vehicle accident at Vinehall Street near John's Cross soon after 5pm were unable to save the lives of driver 43-year-old David Kelly and his passenger Peter Walsh, 50.

The two family men, both builders, were on their way to their Hollington homes from work in a white Toyota Carina. A third man in the Toyota who worked with Mr Kelly and Mr Walsh suffered minor injuries and spent a night in the Conquest.

Yesterday the families of both men paid tribute to the builders describing them both as devoted family men.

Wreckage was spread over an 80-metre radius following the crash, which also involved a Volvo and a 7.5 tonne lorry.

The 38-year-old woman driver of the Volvo from Robertsbridge suffered minor injuries and was taken to the Conquest Hospital suffering from severe shock.

The lorry driver from Kent suffered cuts and bruises and was also taken to hospital.

The road, which has been branded the most dangerous in the south east excluding the M25, was sealed off for more than five hours as the road traffic unit from Bexhill carried out an extensive investigation.

Diverted traffic caused massive tailbacks through Battle and Cripps Corner.

Mr Kelly, had lived with his family in Stonehouse Drive, St Leonards, for five years. He leaves his wife, Joan, daughters Anita, 26, and Suzanne, 21, and son John, 25, and two grandchildren, Ryan, six, and Lauren, four.Grief-stricken Joan wept yesterday with her daughters as she said: "He was a family man and loved us all and would do anything for us. He gave us everything.

"We were all waiting for him to come home from work.

"We miss him and love him. He was our life."

Mr Kelly ran a building company, Gardell Brickworks, with his partner, Garry Mitchell.

His funeral will take place at Hastings Cemetery chapel on The Ridge on Tuesday at 11am.

Pete Walsh's wife of 30 years paid tribute to her "hard-working, kind and easy-going" husband.

Diane Walsh, 48, of Ponswood Road, said: "We loved him very much and we miss him already."

She said Pete, who was born and bred in Quebec Road, Hollington, had time for everyone and did not have a bad bone in his body.

Family-man Pete also leaves behind sons Ryan, 27, and Guy, 25, his twin brother Paul, older brother Mick, sister Dawn, and an 80-year-old mother.

He will be buried at Church-in-the-Wood, where the Walsh's were married.

"I am so pleased he is going home to Hollington," said Diane. "I couldn't imagine him anywhere else.

"He loved Hollington and he knew everyone.

"I am just astounded at the number of people who have phoned me since it happened."

Police were unable to give exact details of the accident, but revealed the first impact was between the Toyota, which was heading towards Hastings, and the Volvo, which was travelling in the opposite direction. The Toyota was then in a head-on collision with the lorry which was travelling behind the Volvo.

Police Sergeant Keith Ellis of the Road Policing Department in Bexhill said: "We want to make it clear that excess speed is not a primary factor in this incident, but as we are still conducting our investigation, we cannot say exactly what happened at this time.

"If there are any witnesses to the initial impact between the Volvo and the Toyota, we would really like to speak to them because that's where it all started to go wrong.

"We also wish to speak to anyone who witnessed any part of the collision, or was at the scene when it happened."

Battle firefighters were at the scene until just after 9pm.

Station officer and incident commander Dave Yates said: "We received a call at about 5.10pm and crews from Battle and Hastings attended, along with a heavy rescue unit from Uckfield.

"There was one car north of the incident, with nobody trapped inside, and another which was more severely damaged just south of the north entrance to the (Vinehall) school. The truck was about 25 metres past that vehicle, and it had taken the roof and front of the car with it.

"One person was out of their car, and was sitting on the verge with people giving first aid.

"Unfortunately there were two people in the other vehicle who were already dead. We had to cut part of the vehicle to help get them out."

Mr Yates added: "This was a very bad accident, but I've seen quite a number on the A21 and it's the type of thing we are used to dealing with.

"We have had one or two incidents on that stretch before, but generally it's the whole of the A21 that's the problem.

"It's quite a hazardous road as it's a single carriageway with quite a high speed limit."