A MAN was killed in a collision with a car near Wareham in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Emergency services were called to the B3075 South Causeway, the road linking Stoborough to the town centre, at 12.25am.

A white Mazda, driven by a woman from Poole, was in collision with the pedestrian, named locally as 29-year-old Stoborough man Stefan Noyce. His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.

Stefan Noyce featured in the Daily Echo in January 2002, when – as a teenager – he was hailed a hero for helping save the life of an elderly woman who was drowning in the River Frome.

Along with a friend he jumped into the freezing water and pulled the woman to safety near Wareham Quay, close to where the fatal collision took place.

A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust spokesman confirmed that, despite treatment from paramedics, he died at the scene.

His friends have since placed a number of floral tributes by the roadside. One poignantly read: “To my best friend Stefan. I will miss you for now. But we will met again. All my love.”

Another, signed Steve and family, simply stated: “Can’t believe I won’t see you again mate, you will be truly missed.”

Neighbours told the Echo they were “saddened” to hear someone had died, and that police were present for much of the night.

One Wareham resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It is not a section of road that has had many accidents that I can recall over the years. However, it is not exactly well lit.”

Specially trained Dorset Police crash investigators have been working to establish exactly what had taken place in the moments leading up to the fatal collision.

The road was closed between Wareham and at Stoborough all night, before being eventually re-opened to traffic at 9.05am.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident and for anyone who was travelling in either direction on the Causeway at the time, to come forward.

Call Dorset Police on 101, quoting incident number 16:11.