A FATHER-OF-THREE donated money to help save the life of a Romanian burns victim only hours before he died.

Lee Smith, a bar manager in his early thirties, died after his Mazda MX3 hit a road sign on the A689 near Wynyard, near Billingham, last week.

The previous day the former soldier had donated money to an appeal to save the life of a seven-year-old Romanian girl set alight by the Russian mafia.

Charity worker Rod Jones said Mr Smith, who was manager of the newly refurbished Bar Aruba in Stockton's Prince Regent Street, had been sickened by seeing the pictures of seven-year-old Romanian girl Mariana, who suffered 85 per cent burns in the attack.

He said: "He would come in to my caf and order a breakfast. I remember he saw the picture of Mariana, who we're raising money to bring to England for treatment, but he couldn't look.

"He was a lovely, lovely man. He was a big fellow but was a real gentle giant and was extremely well-liked."

Mr Smith's boss, Bar Aruba owner Paul Van, said he was devastated by his death.

He said: "He was the original gentle giant and had the purest heart of anyone I've ever met. Just last week he gave £10 to a student who didn't have money for a taxi home."

Mr Van said his friend was driving with a 19-year-old colleague, when the accident happened last Wednesday morning.

His passenger, who suffered chest injuries in the crash, tried to pull Mr Smith free from the car and called for help. One man answered the call with a fire extinguisher while others watched.

Mr Smith, who was born in Hull, lived most of his life on Tyneside which he considered home. He leaves three sons, Michael, 13, Matthew, seven and Brendan, four. He lived alone above the Stockton bar where he worked.

Anyone with any information about the accident is asked to call police on (01642) 301558.