HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a ‘fun-loving, popular’ grandfather who died when the vehicle he was a passenger in collided with a lorry.

Peter Hammond, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A68, near Darlington, on Friday (May 24) afternoon.

Mr Hammond’s family and friends gathered at his home in Bolam, County Durham, on Tuesday (May 28), to pay tribute.

Kay Hawman, his partner of four-and-a-half years, said: “He was a big-hearted person and very popular, we always had a houseful of people.”

Parents Barbara and George Henry Hammond, from Darlington, added: “He was a good lad and we loved him very much, he will be sadly missed by everybody.”

Mr Hammond, who worked as a business development manager for a vehicle hire company, was described as having a ‘zest for life’ and will be remembered for his love of motorbikes, cars and fishing.

His son, James, 29, said he loved spending time with his twin grandsons, seven-year-olds James and Harry.

Two vehicles were involved on the crash, which happened shortly before 1pm on Friday, on the A68 at its junction with Houghton Bank, near Heighington.

They were a white Peugeot Partner van, driven by a 22-year-old man from Middleton-in-Teesdale, and a Volvo articulated lorry.

Mr Hammond, who was a front-seat passenger in the van, suffered serious injuries in the collision, which happened as the van travelled north towards a junction.

The driver suffered neck and back injuries and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital before being released.

His 46-year-old father, who was in the back of the van, suffered multiple injuries.

He was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where his condition was described on Monday as ‘critical but stable’.

The lorry driver, a 50-year-old man from Darlington, was unhurt.

The van driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and the lorry driver for death by careless driving.

Both were interviewed and then released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Accident investigators are appealing for witnesses to call Durham Police’s collision unit, on 0191-375-2159, or the non-emergency number 101 and ask for Sergeant Jonathan Morgan.