THE fiancee of a motorist killed when a heavy goods vehicle collided head-on with his van has spoken of her grief.

Lesley Allcock, aged 30, paid tribute to "family man" Paul Raymond Stevens, from Little Hulton.

Mr Stevens, aged 39, a drain engineer from Wicheaves Crescent, died instantly in the collision on the M60 motorway near the Eccles interchange on Thursday.

It is thought Mr Stevens, who was diabetic and needed daily insulin injections, was returning home from Altrincham to see his children Elizabeth, aged 12 and two-year-old Ryan.

And fighting back tears, Miss Allcock today spoke of her sadness at the loss of her fiancee, known as "Cockney Paul" by his friends as he came from Reading.

Miss Allcock said: "He was very well liked and very well respected by all his friends. He was a community person and very hard worker who loved his family.

"He loved his children and we all will really miss him. He was very cheerful and generous and was always smiling. If he had £10 in his pocket he would give you nine. He just loved his family and will be greatly missed by everyone.

"We had not set a date yet but we were engaged. We were going to get around to it, but now we never will." Police say the collision occurred inside a contraflow system near the interchange, one of the busiest motorway junctions in the North-west.

Three other motorists were taken for treatment at Salford's Hope Hospital with minor injuries. Police closed the junction for nearly five hours.

It is thought the HGV, driven by a man from Horwich, collided with the other HGV driven by a Bolton man before it shunted into Mr Stevens' van. Fire crews cut two motorists free.

Miss Allcock added: "Paul's manager came around to the house at around 1pm and said his van had been in an accident. The police then phoned about an hour and a half later and told me the news.

"I did not believe it at first. I thought someone had pinched his van but the police were so lovely. They could not do enough for me."

"He was the chairman for two years of the Armitage Labour Club in Little Hulton and everyone liked him.

"Paul had lots and lots of friends and was due to celebrate his 40th birthday soon, but he wasn't one to make a fuss."

Police are investigating the incident. A date for Mr Stevens' funeral has not yet been set.