A twist of fate led to the death of a man in a horrific crash, it emerged today.

Grandfather-of-two Stanley Starkey, 83, and his wife Joyce were due to catch a coach from Dover on the last leg of their journey home to Canvey from a nine-day trip to Bavaria.

However, there was no coach available to bring them back to south Essex - so holiday firm Shearings put them in a taxi, which was later involved in a crash, killing Mr Starkey instantly.

Today the company offered its sincere condolences to Mrs Starkey, of Lakeside Path, who had been married to Stanley for more than 50 years.

The crash happened just outside Dover. Police said they believed a 21-year-old woman in a Peugeot 106 lost control of her car, crashed into the central reservation and ended up in the path of the Sierra taxi, carrying Mr and Mrs Starkey.

Mrs Starkey suffered severe bruising and gashes to her leg in the accident on the A2 near Dover. The driver of the cab, a father-of-four, died later in hospital.

John Slatcher, managing director, of Shearings Holidays, expressed sympathy on behalf of the company.

He said: "There is a member of public who has lost their life and we are naturally very, very upset.

"We send people home in taxis, coaches and mini-buses, making no charge. It depends on the circumstances, such as where they live. There is no real set policy.

"At the end of the day, there is a lady who has lost her husband and we are extremely upset. However, there was nothing we could have foreseen or done about it."

Shearings Holidays has been in close contact with Mrs Starkey, 76, and has sent her a letter of condolence.

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