British Dad And His Children Died In Car Crash After He 'Fell Asleep At Wheel'

Morgan Christian Lund, nine, and four-year-old Evie-Lily Crompton died in the crash which occurred on the A39 motorway at Savigny-en-Revermont, in the east of the nation, south of Dijon. The 31-year-old Mr Crompton was driving when the family's Nissan crushed through the safety barrier and struck a concrete pillar on the motorway. Mr Crompton suffered a heart attack and died moments after he was released from the destruction.

Mr Crompton’s partner Makayla and the couple’s third child, thought to be aged two, were critically injured and airlifted to a nearby hospital. French police said Mr Crompton, from Hartlepool, either fell asleep at the wheel or was distracted by something, making him lose control of the vehicle at around 7am on Sunday.

In a statement released through the Foreign Office, the family of Mr Crompton, Morgan and Evie-Lily said: "A staggering disaster has left our family heartbroken forever. Our lives have been torn apart and will never be the same again. We have lost the core of our family. As a family we request our ptivacy to be respected at this extremely difficult time."

Relatives in the close knit community in north Hartlepool were too devastated to talk yesterday but neighbours spoke of their shock at the tragedy.Tributes have begun pouring in for the family. On Sunday, Colin Harrison posted on a Facebook aggregate called Hartlepool Billiards and Snooker, of which Mr Crompton is a part, saying he was "one of the association's best players".

He said,"Heartbreaking news about one of the league's top players, ohn Crompton and two of his children were tragically killed in a road accident in France earlier today. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Very talented and well liked man. RIP mate".

The children's mom and the youngest child were airlifted to the Edouard Herriot hospital in Lyon, where a representative said they were "in a basic condition". No different vehicles were included, and climate and street conditions were great, as indicated by researching sources. Two emergency helicopters were scrambled to the scene of the crash, which saw the A39 shut in both directions.

Senior regional official Georges Bos at the crash site said."The crash may have been due to the driver falling asleep at the wheel or perhaps the driver was diverted by something and veered to the right."

The scene was so devastating that a psychologist was brought in to counsel the two dozen rescue workers who worked at the crash site.

In Hartlepool, one neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "John was a major fellow, he was just youthful. He's particularly similar to his mum. It's absolutely awful. I'm just in shock."

Another neighbour said: "I realized that they were leaving on vacation. It's simply such a stun to be honest."

Another neighbour added: "All I heard was that they have lost a child and a girl. I know John worked in Italy so he may have been headed there. I'm simply stunned. I still can't believe that it has happened to somebody we actually know."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are giving help following a street car crash in France, in which three British nationals have unfortunately passed on and two others have been hospitalized. We are working closely with local authorities and supporting the families at this difficult time."