Family pay tribute to van driver killed in Shropshire A49 crash
The driver of a truck who killed in a collision with a lorry on Shropshire's busy A49 trunk road has been named.
The family of Ken Gwilliam today paid tribute to the 64-year-old, who died in an accident at Leebotwood, near Church Stretton, on Saturday.
Mr Gwilliam, who lived in Clunbury, south Shropshire, was pronounced dead at the scene following the crash on the A49, as it passes through the village north of Church Stretton, at 7.45am.
He was described by described by relatives as a "true countryman".
A statement from the family read: "Ken was a lovely kind man that did not have a bad bone in his body. We all loved him so very much and he will be truly missed.
"He was true countryman and his knowledge of the countryside was second to none. A proper stockman, shepherd and a man who cared for his dogs and his love of trailing.
"He would help any one out he came across. He loved south Shropshire and where he lived, and will be sadly missed by all his family and friends that knew him."
The family today requested privacy in their time of grief.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to the accident to come forward, or anyone who saw Mr Gwilliam's Mitsubishi L200 pick-up truck or the Volvo heavy goods vehicle involved in the collision beforehand.
Mr Gwilliam's truck was travelling northbound when it collided with the lorry, whose driver was not hurt, which was moving in the opposite direction.
The A49 was closed on Saturday in both directions while police carried out an investigation, which caused heavy tailbacks.
On the same weekend, four cars, one of them towing a caravan, were involved in accidents on the A5. Two cars and a caravan were involved in a smash on the westbound carriageway near Edgebold on Sunday. Two hours earlier a car left the road near Bayston Hill.
Anyone with any information about the A49 crash involving Mr Gwilliam is asked to call West Mercia Police on 101 quoting incident number 169S of July 25.
