THE funeral of a 71-year-old Quarry Bank man who died after a horror smash near Kidderminster involving a van and a tanker will take place next week.

Robert Coulson, of Coppice Lane, had been driving a white Citroen Nemo van on the A449 when it collided with a grey DAF tanker - travelling in the opposite direction.

The great-grandfather, known as Bob, had been heading towards Kidderminster when the crash happened near the Mare and Colt pub at about 11.45am on Tuesday (February 25).

Mr Coulson, a part-time delivery driver at J S Optical Ltd on the Hoo Farm industrial estate near where the crash happened, was flown to the region’s trauma unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after being freed from the vehicle by firefighters but he died shortly afterwards of multiple injuries.

The tanker driver, from Gosport, Hampshire, was not injured in the smash which left the van wedged under the front section of the tanker.

Kinver-born Mr Coulson, who worked at the Eaton factory in Thorns Road before retiring, leaves a wife - Sheila, step-daughter Lindy Parkes, her five children who regarded him as their grandfather, and a great grandchild.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned by the Worcestershire coroner.

His funeral will be held at Stourbridge Crematorium on Thursday March 13 at 12.20pm.

Anyone who knew him is invited to attend. Donations will be made in his memory to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Witnesses to the crash who have not already spoken to police are asked to contact PC Lee Baker in the operational policing unit at Rubery Police Station on the non-emergency number 101, quoting the incident reference 221-S-250214.