A BRIDEGROOM was killed in a road accident less than two hours before he was due to marry.

News of the tragedy was broken to the bride-to-be of Steven Mark Hewart as she waited with friends and family at Bury Register Office on Saturday afternoon.

Miss Sarah Fielding had just arrived in a limousine for the 3pm ceremony when she was told her fiance had been involved in a serious accident in Pilkington Way, Radcliffe.

Mr Hewart had been staying at his father's home in Radcliffe and was on his way to buy his bride a last-minute wedding present when he was struck by a car at 12.30pm.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, the 25-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at Fairfield Hospital, an hour later.

The couple, who had been courting for three years, have a two-year-old son, Luca, who was going to be a pageboy. He was the winner of last year's Bury Times Child of the Year competition. The family won a Pontin's holiday which they were due to use as their honeymoon.

Mr Hewart's brother, Gary, was to be his best man, and their reception was to be held at Ramsbottom Liberal Club.

Miss Fielding (22), who lived with Mr Hewart at their home in Bolton Road West, Ramsbottom, was too upset to speak about the tragedy. However, Mr Hewart's father, Keith, said: "Steven was such a kind, loving person who thought the world of Sarah and Luca. He was a real family man and was looking forward to being married to Sarah. We are all absolutely numb with shock.

"None of us can believe this has happened. I can't put into words how devastated we are about the loss of such a wonderful and caring man."

Mr Hewart, a hire controller based at Trafford Park, had parked his car outside Asda and was crossing Pilkington Way at its junction with Sion Street when he was in collision with a Renault Scenic driven by a 36-year-old woman from Bury. Pilkington Way was closed to Traffic for two hours.

A spokeswoman for Bury Traffic Unit said: "Saturday should have been the happiest day of Miss Fielding's life. To tell a bride on her big day that her husband-to-be has died was heartbreaking. Our thoughts are with her, her son and the couple's friends and family."

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact Bury Traffic Unit on (0161) 856 8073.