Tributes To Lorry Driver

The family of a Kent haulier who died when his truck collided with a coach on the M11 have been paying tribute to him.

53 year old Zdzislaw Piorko from Maidstone died at the scene of the collision on the southbound carriageway near Stansted in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A female coach passenger also died, six other people were seriously hurt and 43 others suffered minor injuries. 

The coach had been carrying passengers from the West Yorkshire area who were heading to Folkestone, Kent en route to Belgium for a shopping trip.

Mr Piorko had worked as a driver for 30 years and moved to Britain from Poland six years ago. He lived with his partner, Bozena, and her 20-year-old son. Mr Piorko's son Maceij is married with two children and lives in Poland.

In a statement issued through Essex Police his family have described him as "a very positive and happy man with a colourful outlook on life". They say "He will be missed and cried for by all who knew him."

The motorway was temporarily closed in both directions between between junction 8, the turn-off for Stansted Airport, and junction 9 at Great Chesterford, but later reopened.