DONATIONS are pouring in to pay for the funeral of a gas engineer who died in a car crash on Saturday.

Sean Smith was driving to collect his lost phone when his Ford Transit van smashed into a Nissan X-Trail in Drayson Close in Waltham Abbey, his home town.

Air ambulance and paramedics attended, but the 34 year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Now a fundraising page has been set up to pay for the funeral of Mr Smith, who worked for SPS Heating Solutions Ltd, and to donate to a charity in his memory.

Posting on the page, his sister Tara-Frankie Cairns wrote: "Mum and dad and me would like to say that we are so grateful for all the love and support we are being shown.

"I’m not going to lie, we are all struggling but by pulling together with our wonderful friends and family we will get through this.

"We also want to let you all know that this money will help towards some costs to make sure we send Sean or Smudge, as he liked to be known, off in the style.

"He liked to live his life, anyone who knows him will tell you, to the max.

"But we also want this money to go towards a charity in his memory as then that way he will still live on to help, as he has in his own short life."

Yesterday police said that Mr Smith had agreed to meet at the Lidl Supermarket in either Waltham Abbey or Waltham Cross around 9.00am to collect the phone.

The Nissan driver, also in his 30s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Senior Investigating Officer, Sergeant Steve Holmes said: “We would like to reassure the man who was returning the phone that we'd only like to speak with him to help establish the circumstances surrounding the journey of the man who sadly died, as well as arranging to return the phone to his family."

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash cam footage of the crash to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01245 240590 or email collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk

Go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/shane-yerrell-246 to donate.