'We will always miss you' - family tributes to men killed in North Devon crash

THE families of two young men killed when their car crashed off a road into a river have paid tribute to their sons.

Friends of Paul Bovey (pictured) and Martyn Windsor have already arranged public tributes to the hard-working young men who were saving to go to Australia.

Lanterns were lit and released on the green at Denbury in honour of Paul, 24, who grew up in the village.

And fellow car enthusiasts staged a drive-by along the Torquay and Preston seafront in memorial to Martyn, 25, from Brixham.

Families and friends of the young men have said they will 'miss them forever'.

Thousands of messages have been left on tribute pages and dozens of floral tributes have been placed at the roadside (pictured below). The pair were working and living together in South Molton when the accident happened.

It is not known whether they were driving home from their late night pub job, or had got up early for their second job, milking cows on a dairy farm.

Martyn's blue Peugeot 306 convertible left the road and dropped 15ft into the fast-flowing and flooded River Mole.

Paul's mother Jackie Brealy said he will be remembered for being a family man who made an impression on anyone he met.

"Wherever he went he made people laugh and was known for his humour," she said. "He really loved his family and never used to call me mum, I was Mother Bear and he signed all cards and things to me as Baby Bear."

Paul, who was a farmer, was doing three jobs to save money to start a new life in Australia.

"He was working behind a bar, hoof trimming and milking," said Jackie.

"He was going to join his brother Ben in March and see his godfather in Brisbane."

Martyn, who was known as Mart to his close family, had been living in South Molton with his friend Paul for just four weeks.

His many previous jobs had included work at Kingfisher seafood suppliers in Brixham and a spell training for the army's Rifles regiment. He was medically discharged with distinction after an injury.

Mum Sharon, who moved to Devon when Martyn was 13, said: "Mart was just so lovely. He was a big 6ft 4in tall lad who was always the joker. The two things that everyone says is that he always made them smile, and he was always there when you needed help. He was very caring and very protective over me and his sister and they were very close.

"He loved his cars. Every car he had was his pride and joy and he was always saving up for his Aston Martin.

"The good thing about Mart was that he was never out of work and was always independent.

"I have only just found out that Mart had a second job, after moving up to North Devon."

Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the Peugeot travelling from the Exmoor direction towards North Molton or South Molton sometime during the late evening of Thursday or early hours of Friday.

The car was not found on the unclassified lane that leads from the A361 at South Molton to North Molton until just after 8am on Friday.

Martyn was still in the car. He had sustained serious injuries. He was taken to North Devon District Hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival. Paul, who had been thrown clear of the car into the river, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Some family members heard about the tragedy through Facebook before police had managed to make contact with Martyn's relatives.

The first RIP messages on Martyn's Facebook wall had been put on by friends at 5pm on the day of their death.

Police did not manage to reach the family in Brixham directly until 7pm.

The two families have still not been able to finalise funeral arrangements because of the police investigation.

The families have been overwhelmed by the flood of messages and floral tributes.

Sharon said: "I just didn't realise how many friends Martyn had. I have been told about all the floral tributes but I cannot go to the scene. Not yet."

In a public tribute, Paul's family said: "A big hole in our lives which will never be filled, miss you forever until we meet again. Loving and devoted son of Jackie, Keith and Tony, brother to Ben, Matt, Zoe, Kelsy and a brilliant uncle to Aidan and Rupert."

Once the body is released by police, the family will make final funeral arrangements.It is hoped it will take place next Friday.

"My son was a fun loving person and wouldn't want a hearse, so we've gone for a tractor and a trailer to carry him for his funeral," Jackie said. "We know he would want that."

The animal lover was a former Denbury Primary School and South Dartmoor Community College pupil.

"He was a student in my house, Bel Tor," said Sue Hember, his head of house at South Dartmoor Community College.

"Paul was a good looking, friendly, guy with a really infectious smile. He excelled in drama and was a fun, reliable team member."

The two had been working at the Tarr Farm Inn, near Tarr Steps on Exmoor.