TRIBUTES have been paid to a promising young footballer who died on the A40 in Oxfordshire.
Devon Wright, who was in his 20s, was a Witney & District football player for Hailey FC.
Police were called in the early hours of Friday to reports of a man, now known to be Mr Wright, lying on an eastbound lane of the dual carriageway between Witney and Cogges. He was found to have died of his injuries.
Officers later spoke to a driver who believed he hit a man on the road. The road was closed overnight for investigations. No one was arrested.
Dozens of bunches of flowers have now been placed on the Stanton Harcourt Road bridge over the A40 at Cogges and a football shirt has been attached to the fence.
Among the tribute is an Arsenal Football Club flag put up by Mr Wright's father, with a heartbreaking message saying his death had "left a massive hole" in the family's life. It added: "I love you with all my heart."
Tearful friends and relatives were yesterday pausing on the bridge and leaving tributes.
One read: "I love you, Dev... I will miss you mate".
A tribute on social media said: "I came to love you like a little brother. The days will be a little darker without you there next to me but I will remember every day we spent together with a smile on my face. My heart breaks for you and your family."
A football match due to be played by Hailey FC on Saturday was postponed.
Oxfordshire Football Association said it would reschedule the John Fathers Junior Shield Semi-Final.
In a statement on its website, the county FA said it was "deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of the players due to be involved".
Out of respect for the player, his family and the club, it said it was working with both clubs to rearrange the fixture.
It added: "Our thoughts are with the family and club at this most difficult time."
Hailey FC's opponents Longford Park from Banbury have set up a JustGiving appeal to raise hundreds of pounds.
Organisers wrote: "Following the tragic events and loss of Hailey FC player Dev Wright, this JustGiving page has been set up to allow fellow teams and players to contribute towards the memory of the player that was taken too soon."
The A40 bridge bears a plaque to Laurence George Miles, 21, who died at the spot in December, 2001.
Inspector Sarah Bartlett of Thames Valley Police's Roads Policing Unit, said they were in the very early stages of investigating the circumstances and appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage.
She said: "My thoughts and the thoughts of Thames Valley Police are with the man's family at this extremely difficult time."
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