TRIBUTES have been paid to a 91-year-old man who died following a two-vehicle crash in Lytchett Matravers.

Peter Brett died after his blue Mercedes A class car collided with a white Ford Transit van on Friday afternoon.

The vehicles collided with each other before going on to knock down a wall in front of the Rose & Crown public house.

Mr Brett, who lived in Lytchett Matravers died on Saturday. The driver of the van, an 84-year-old man from Swanage, was not hurt.

In a statement released by police, Mr Brett's family said: "We are devastated to say that Peter is no longer with us, and he will be greatly missed by his wife, daughter and grandchildren.

"At the end of the Second World War, Peter and his wife of 67 years, Rosemary Brett OBE, bought as their first home a motor gun boat, without the gun, as there were very few houses in Plymouth due to the bombing.

"After leaving the Navy, Peter became an engineer with British Cellophane and set up the first cellophane factory in Canada. Returning from overseas he bought a 100 acre farm in Somerset which he ran for 10 years."

The family statement went on to say that Mr Brett was a keen sailor who sailed single-handed to France and the Channel Islands, even when he was in his mid 80s.

He was a keen member of the Royal Motor Yacht Club and has recently finished restoring a 20ft sailboat.

They added: "Peter was well known locally and supported his politically active wife Rosemary who had helped run the Poole & Mid Dorset & North Poole Conservative Associations since 1990.

"His niece is the European Member of Parliament for the West Midlands, Anthea McIntyre MEP."

Dorset Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or manner of driving of either vehicle prior to the incident to call Police Constable Lee Savage of the Dorset Police Traffic Unit on 101.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101 quoting incident number 18:173 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.