THE FAMILY of a 26-year-old man killed in a car crash near North Leigh have said they will miss his “beautiful, infectious smile.”

Richard Reed died when the Vauxhall Astra he was a passenger in hit a tree on the A4095 on Sunday, November 2.

More than 200 friends and family attended his funeral this week at Oxford Crematorium.

Yesterday his father John, mother Angela and brother Martyn spoke for the first time about Mr Reed, saying how grateful they were for support from his friends.

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In a statement they said: “We cannot express enough our deep gratitude and sincere thanks for all the wonderful tributes, flowers and cards from all his many, many friends, to which we will always be eternally grateful for the love and support they have given us during this incredibly difficult time.

“Richard will be so very much missed and we will never see that beautiful, infectious smile again.”

After the funeral on Wednesday there was a reception in honour of Richard, who worked at Mercedes Benz in Kidlington, at the Red Lion in Eynsham, which the family said was “bursting at the seams due to his immense popularity”.

The former Bartholomew School pupil was a big sports fan and supported Manchester United from an early age.

The Reeds, who live in Long Hanborough, said: “He also ran daily and had only just bought a specialised Rockhopper bicycle, which he only had chance to use once.

“He worked at Mercedes-Benz in Kidlington and was well liked by all his friends and colleagues there.”

Floral tributes from family and friends were left at the scene on the road between Hanborough and Witney following the crash.

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