An 87-year-old man died last night when his mobility scooter was in an horrific collison with a lorry.

George Hughes - known to friends as Old George - from Ravenscliffe Avenue, Eccleshill, died in the incident in Harrogate Road as he was returning home from Morrisons at Five Lane Ends.

His shopping was strewn across the road, with his badly damaged mobility scooter nearby, as police accident investigators examined the scene until 6pm.

Tony Meehan, who lives near Mr Hughes, said: "I was shocked when I found out. It's devastating news. He will be sadly missed.

"He had a mobility cart, but he was a fit guy for an 87-year-old.

"He often went to the betting shop and had his little bets and he had a couple of drinks at the same club as me.

"He is a member of Eccleshill Working Men's Club and went on a Saturday night. He would share a laugh with anybody.

"He lived on his own, but had a daughter."

Mick Kenyon, of the Fanfare Newsagents, opposite the scene of the collision, said: "The first we knew of it was when we saw that all the traffic had stopped.

"It was Old George on his mobility scooter.

"I was only talking to him in Morrisons just 20 minutes before it happened. I put my stuff in the car, came home and the next thing I knew he was there in the road.

"He will be sadly missed around here."

Brenda Kenyon, also of Fanfare Newsagents, said: "He lives on Ravenscliffe and was well-known in the area.

"He used to come down here every day. He is a very popular character. "They called him Old George.

"He only came out of hospital on Tuesday.

"There have been too many accidents around here. It seems to always happen at this time of year. You see bunches of flowers on different lamp-posts."

Val Watmough, who works at the Coral bookmakers, just up the road from the accident scene, said: "George is a customer who comes in here.

"He used to come in here a lot - every Saturday at one time - but now there is another customer who goes to his house, then comes in to put his bets on.

"I came into work and saw that the road was blocked off. I hoped it was not George, because I knew he had a maroon mobility scooter.

"He is in his 80s, so we didn't expect the news to be good.

"He went to the church just up the road and lives in Ravenscliffe.

"It's awful to hear that he has died. I saw him in Morrisons just a couple of weeks ago. His shopping is still all over the road. It's really sad.

"He was a really popular guy around here."

Another shopkeeper on Harrogate Road, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's sad because Old George was a local person and was well-liked.

"He has passed here loads of times and is a very pleasant lad.

"This road has claimed too many people now. We have been asking them to do something for years."

A police spokesman said an elderly man had died following a collision between a mobility scooter and a lorry just before 1.10pm yesterday.

A section of the road remained closed until 6pm and traffic was diverted while police investigated the scene.

Witnesses to the incident should call Bradford North Police on 0845 6060606.