A father-of-three who died after he was struck by a car near Newmarket last week has been named as Chris Clements, from Brinkley.

The 40-year-old, from Beech Croft, was using his wheelchair close to the B1052, near Brinkley, when he was hit by a silver Peugeot Partner at 2.25pm on January 4. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, but died the next morning as a result of his injuries.

Hi family have released the following statement: “Our wonderful Chris, a cherished son, father of three sons, brother, uncle and true friend to so many was a truly amazing person, so very much loved by us all and whose courage, determination and his desire to make a difference was an inspiration to all who knew him.

“Chris will be fondly remembered by all who were lucky enough to have been a part of his life. As a child, and continuing into his adult years Chris was a vibrant, cheeky, mischievous and larger-than-life character. He made the most of the opportunities he had and strived to be the best he could be at all he pursued; fatherhood, mechanics, engineering, mountain biking, black belt in karate and motor bike riding to name but a few.”

In 2006, Mr Clements sustained a spinal cord injury which left him tetraplegic and a permanent wheelchair user.

His family added: “Chris was a well-known, popular and familiar figure in the vicinity of the village of Brinkley where he lived, often to be seen in his wheelchair exercising his dog Elsa, which he was doing at the time of the accident. Chris was a pillar of strength for us all and his tenacity in the face of adversity was truly commendable.”

His family thanked the East Anglian Air Ambulance, paramedics and police who attended the scene and the nurses, doctors and consultants at Addenbrooke’s.