TUESDAY UPDATE - Junctions to be reviewed after wrong way crash 

AN ELDERLY couple killed in the M40 tragedy in South Oxfordshire have been described as keen caravanners who were 'kind and gentle'.

John Norton, 80, and Olive Howard, 87, both from High Wycombe, died on October 15 after crashing with a Ford Mondeo and Ford Focus near junction 6 (Lewknor).

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The pair had been travelling in a Subaru Forester towing a caravan, and joined the motorway in the wrong direction - causing other drivers to swerve out of their way before the fatal crash minutes later.

Neighbours said the pair travelled all over the continent in their caravan and first met more than 30 years ago at a caravan club.

One friend, who asked not to be named, told the Bucks Free Press: "They were kind and gentle - and they had lots of miles under their belt. They had been all over Europe."

Another told the paper: "John was very reserved and Olive was a real chatterbox. This whole thing has come as a shock as they were regular caravanners on the continent.

"They were very keen on water festivals - they regularly went to Yorkshire with the caravan.

"They would always greet neighbours with a 'hello' if they were out in the front garden and Olive never really spoke about anything in particular - she talked about everything and nothing at once.

"She was a very keen gardener, always in her garden."

Neighbours said they understood the couple had been travelling back from a trip to Yorkshire at the time of the fatal crash.

Thames Valley Police had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because the force had previous contact with the Subaru - it had been involved in a damage-only crash in High Wycombe on October 10. 

One neighbour described that incident as a 'little shunt'. 

The couple were described as friendly but quiet and neighbours said little was known about them. 

One said: "They were a very nice couple but they would only every really say ‘hi’ - very much keeping themselves to themselves. They were a close couple. But they were here more than 30 years."

Earlier this month tributes were paid to 'thoughtful, loyal and friendly' former soldier Stuart Richards, from Stockport, who also died in the crash.

The 32-year-old, who had been driving the Mondeo, served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Royal Engineers and after leaving the service he most recently worked as a health and safety inspector.

He was also a member of Veterans For Peace, who have invited fellow members to attend his funeral in Warwickshire on November 2.

A spokesman for the group said: “Stu Richards will be greatly missed by the members of Veterans For Peace. He was calm, thoughtful, loyal and friendly. Our thoughts are with his family.”