Shoreham air disaster victim's fiancee tells of crash heartbreak

Updated

The fiancee of the latest Shoreham air disaster victim to be named has spoken of her heartbreak that their plans to spend their lives in the sun will now never happen.

Sussex Police officially named Tony Brightwell, 53, from Hove, East Sussex, as among at least 11 victims to have died when a Hawker Hunter jet crashed on the A27.

His fiancee Lara said she watched him cycle off excitedly to watch one of the last Vulcan bomber flights at the Shoreham Airshow - "but he never came home".

Police have released pictures from the scene of the disaster - as communities touched by the tragedy prepare to fall silent one week on.

Mr Brightwell, a health care manager for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Brighton and Hove City Council, was indulging his twin passions of planes and cycling when tragedy struck.

His fiancee said: "He was the love of my life, my soul-mate and I am devastated that our plans of a life in the sun in a few years' time won't now happen.

"He was a kind, loving man who always helped others and just enjoyed spending time with family and friends over a bottle of red wine.

"I watched him cycle off into the sun on his treasured ridgeback bike to watch the air show at Shoreham for a couple of hours, but he never came home."

Mr Brightwell gained his private pilot licence at Shoreham, loved food and cooking, and admired Second World War pilots.

He leaves his fiancee, daughter Gemma, sister Judy, nephew Adam, parents Barbara and Ernie and best friend Andy.

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