RETIRED Settle shopkeeper Herbert Speight was killed in a head-on crash on the A65 near Settle on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Speight, who celebrated his 90th birthday last month and lived in Giggleswick, was at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta when the accident happened at Settle Junction, near Mearbeck, at about 4pm.

Born in South Yorkshire, Mr Speight went to live with his aunt in Bradford when he was apprenticed as a painter and decorator.

He was in the Territorial Army so was one of the first to be called up when the Second World War was imminent. He was away with the Royal Artillery for six years.

After the war, he worked for a small dairy in Bradford, which was taken over by a large firm and he grew more unhappy with his job. With his wife, Win, he looked for a shop, and a newsagent's in Settle caught their eyes.

The shop was too big for Mr and Mrs Speight so they asked daughter and son-in-law Christine and Chris Watson to join them.

The family moved to Speight and Watson's, in Duke Street, in 1965 and four years later Mr and Mrs Speight took over the tobacconists next door, running that until retirement in 1976.

Mr Speight helped out with the swimming pool paper collection until he was 80. He was still a regular swimmer, going to the Age Concern swimming club, which gave him a party for his 90th birthday. He also enjoyed a birthday lunch with family and friends at Eldroth Public Hall.

He was a member of the Settle Men's Forum.

Mr Speight will be remembered by many as the "sponge cake man". Mrs Speight always used to bake cakes and he would help her by greasing tins. When she died, he tried baking and proved a dab hand. His sponge cakes were in demand for coffee mornings and cake stalls.

A memorial service will be held at St Alkelda's Church, Giggleswick, following a cremation service at Skipton. Mr Speight leaves his daughter, christine, two grandchildren, two great grandchildren, one brother and three sisters.

A silver BMW was also involved in the crash, and its driver Anthony Kent, of Barrowford, was treated for slight injuries at Airedale Hospital, Steeton.

Employed by Prestons BMW garage, he was chauffeuring a Giggleswick mother and her two children to the garage to pick up their car. Ann Marie Stanley suffered serious facial injuries and her sons, Adam, 12, and Joshua, eight, suffered cuts and bruises.

Police want to talk to anyone who witnessed the accident, or saw the manner of driving of either vehicle prior to the collision. Anyone who can help should contact TC Mick Foulstone via the witness line 01423 539474.