Man Killed In IOW Crash 'Loving Grandfather'

25 October 2013, 11:01

A man who died in a car crash on the Isle of Wight has been described as a loving father and grandfather.

William Watson died on Newport Road at Freshwater on Tuesday morning (22 October).
 
The 93-year-old, from Golden Ridge in Freshwater, was known to friends and family as Bill.

He was a driving a blue Ford Fiesta on Newport Road when at around 8.37am he was involved in a collision with a school bus and a Volkswagen Polo. It's believed that a school bus carrying children was pulling over to a bus stop when the collision occurred between an overtaking car and an oncoming car.

Bill was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

In a statement, his family said:

"Bill Watson sadly passed away following a collision on the Middle road, Isle of Wight, on Tuesday 22 October 2013. He was a loving father to two children, seven grand children and seven great grandchildren.

"Bill enjoyed good health and a happy retirement on the Isle of Wight when he and his late wife Ivy, moved here in 1993 from London.

"He will be sadly missed by all that knew him."

The 54-year-old woman driving the Polo suffered multiple fractures and remains in a stable condition at St Mary's Hospital.

Police are continuing their appeal for witnesses to the collision or anyone who saw any of the vehicles driving prior to it.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Dave Sanderson at Shanklin Roads Policing unit on 101, quoting Operation Doppio.