POLICE have named the driver who died following a crash on the A339 at Lasham, near Alton, on February 12.

Raymond Malyon, 71, from neighbouring Bradley, died in hospital two days after the collision, in which he, a woman passenger and the driver of a second vehicle sustained serious injuries.

The collision happened at around 7.30pm and involved Mr Malyon’s silver Toyota Corolla, travelling north along the A339 toward Basingstoke, and a blue Honda Civic, travelling south toward Alton.

The 69-year-old woman remains in Southampton Hospital where her condition is described as serious.

The driver of the Honda, a 41-year-old man, suffered “serious but non life-threatening injuries” and remains in Frimley Park Hospital.

Mr Malyon’s family have paid tribute to a “kind-hearted man” who, they say, had “a passion for life” and was “very much loved”.

In a statement, Mr Malyon’s family said: “Ray was a beloved husband, dad, granddad and friend to many, and the pain we all feel in our lives at this very difficult time is overwhelming. We remain in shock at the sudden loss of such a selfless and wonderful soul, and the impact of this dreadful incident will be far reaching.

“Ray was a kind-hearted, loving soul, who had a passion for life, especially for music, travelling and food, with a particular love for anything Spanish. He loved to cook and was a vegetarian for many decades, entertaining often, with his food, and with humour.

“It was he you went to for advice and guidance, being knowledgeable across many subjects, and having been an engineer throughout his working life. He still worked part-time after his official retirement, mentoring others, giving advice, and remained very much enjoying his work.

“His DIY skills were legendary and we all can recount instances where Ray came to the rescue to fix something, expecting nothing in return. He could pretty much turn his hand to anything and was glad to.”

The tribute continued: “On the Friday before this dreadful incident, he’d spent his day with a couple of his grandchildren, building Lego structures, drawing superheroes, and taking them swimming, having a great time of life. It was a day filled with laughter, love and joy.

“His role as granddad was one he was very proud of and he shone so brightly in their lives. There are many little broken hearts in our world today: Oliver, Felix, Myles, Daniel Christopher, Joseph and Matthew. They all loved him so very much, as did his children and beautiful wife.

“On speaking to people after the incident and notifying everyone of Ray’s death, there has been an overwhelming outpouring of sadness and disbelief that he is no longer of this world.

“We are going to miss this amazing man until the end of our days, and there will remain a huge gap in our lives. We sincerely thank the hospital, as they’ve been so supportive and understanding through this very challenging time.

“Love you forever, Dad.”

Investigating officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward, as well as anyone who may have seen either car prior to the accident. Anyone with information should call the police 101, quoting Operation Efficient, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.