Tributes have been paid to a great-grandfather in his 80s, who died following a collision on Easter Sunday.

Essex Police have provisionally named Norman Austin, 84 as the man who died on Sunday, April 11 following a road traffic collision near the junction with Jaywick Lane in Clacton.

Police were called shortly before 12pm to reports of a collision between a BMW and a Citroen.

Mr Austin who was known to his loved ones as Norm, was from St Osyth.

In a statement his family said:“ The circumstances in which he was taken from us has completely devastated our family and friends.

“Norman leaves a wife Elizabeth (Liz) who he had known since his teens, his children Neil, Dawn, Mark and Kirk and step children Frances and Adrian along with his only remaining sibling Joan, in Australia.

Plus numerous nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“Norman had served in the Royal Air Force Regiment early in his life, something he was very proud of, and still had close friends from that time. He was so proud the day he joined the march past at the Cenotaph in London and placed the poppy wreath on behalf of his local British Legion.

“His love for driving was evident throughout much of his life, driving the London buses back in the days when a ‘clippy’ was part of the service. He went on to become a bus driving instructor, a job he did for many years. In his final working years, he became a taxi driver.

“Norman loved dancing and would be up on the dance floor dancing with Liz, or anyone else he could encourage onto the floor. In his later years the opportunity to do this was limited to holidays and New Year’s Eve. Getting his New Year’s Eve tickets at the local club as soon as they came on sale, so as to secure their place.

“Norman and Liz still travelled abroad every year for their holidays, with Norman searching for his next adventure within days of coming home from his last one. He’d have his suitcase packed weeks before they were due to travel. He may have been 84 but he was still full of life.

“The Friday before his death he had been laughing with his daughter Dawn, in their weekly phone call, saying he was going to move into his summer house in the garden so that he felt like he’d gone on holiday – his way of looking on the positive side of the Covid 19 restrictions, as this year’s holiday had just been cancelled by his tour operator.

“The family wish to thank the police for their support and guidance, and for the sensitive way they have shared information surrounding Norman’s death.”

Essex Police are appealing for further information about the collision and ask anyone with CCTV, dashcam footage or who may have witnessed the collision to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101.

The incident number to quote is 348 of 11 April.

A 31-year old woman was arrested by police and later released under investigation.