Last updated at 11:39, Wednesday, 29 February 2012

A young motorist who died following a head-on crash on the A595 road at Mealsgate, near Wigton, has been named.

• Video: Air ambulance at the crash scene

Luke Heywood

He was named as Luke Heywood, 19, from Cockermouth.

Luke was driving a Peugeot 206 when, at 4.25 pm, it collided with a VW Touran and a Ford Transit  van. Emergency services attended but  Luke died at the scene.

His parents and two sisters, Anna, 15, and 11-year-old Sarah, have paid tribute to a wonderful son and brother.

They said: "We love him with all our hearts and we always will. He was always here to help us, a bright light in dark times. He never let us down. He was always here to protect his sisters.

"Luke was gentle, sensitive and loving. He will always be a huge part of our lives and take up a huge part of our hearts. We are lost without him, his smile, his love, his generosity and his deep blue eyes."

Police were alerted shortly before 4.30pm to the accident, which happened on a straight stretch of the road near to West Lodge and the entrance to Whitehall.

Police confirmed that the driver of the van, and a couple and a small child who were in the VW, were not seriously injured. 

Officers have appealed for witnesses who can help their investigation to get in touch.

The Pride of Cumbria air ambulance attended the crash.

First published at 16:48, Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk