THE heartbroken wife of a truck driver who died in an accident at the weekend has told how the couple planned to move to France when he retired.

Jack Leach, 56, of Tintern Crescent, Blackburn, suffered fatal injuries when his wagon overturned as he drove on to the M1 motorway near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

A driver for Woodside Haulage, Bamber Bridge, Mr Leach was returning from a journey to Belgium.

Police are still trying to establish what caused the incident on Saturday night.

Mr Leach was dead on arrival at a hospital in Hemel Hempstead and a post mortem examination confirmed he died of multiple injuries. An inquest was due to be opened today.

His wife Jacqueline was told of her husband's death early on Sunday morning. The couple had celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary earlier this month.

Mrs Leach said: "Jack had so many friends. He was a lively person who was loved by everybody. He wasn't going to retire yet, but he said he wanted to live in France when he did finish.

"He was a driver for 30 years and he was always very careful. He knew roads like the back of his hand and people used to ring him to ask for directions." Friend and colleague Jim Kent, of Waterfoot, said: "He got on well with all the other drivers and liked to have a pint of bitter or a meal with friends."

John Hoodless, depot manager at Woodside, said: "Jack was a cracking bloke and had a lot of friends. Everyone's really shocked.

"He'd only been with us for 18 months, but he was a first class driver with a wealth of experience."

Mr Leach had two sons and a daughter from a previous marriage, six stepchildren and nine grandchildren.

Arrangements for his funeral are being made by Scales of Blackburn.

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