Alex was driving his friend home after a weekend at his favourite annual festival 'Barefoot'. They were travelling south on the M40 in Oxfordshire at around 8.45pm on Monday evening when Alex’s car left the motorway and collided with a road sign. Tragically both young friends died at the scene. An inquest into the deaths has been opened and adjourned whilst the Police conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.

Growing up in East Peckham, Alex went to school in Tonbridge and was a former Judd and Tonbridge Grammar pupil. A keen sportsman from an early age, he played cricket, football and rugby for his schools and local teams, as well as doing trampolining and various forms of martial arts.

Following several years of training at the National Head Quarters in Tonbridge, Alex moved to the Midlands to pursue his dream of running his own successful martial arts school. Here he also developed a long-term passion for Fire Poi and Staff that led him to perform at many festivals round the UK.

In August 2012 he married his wife, Jessica, after first meeting in 2004. Jessica says “We spent 10 wonderful years together. He was my best friend as well as my husband and we knew each other inside out. I will always treasure the memories we shared but it feels like I have lost a part of me.”

Alex was a young man who lived life to the full. He had just left a job as a Teaching Assistant at Thomas Jolyffe Primary School in Stratford. He and his wife were planning to move back to Tonbridge from Stratford Upon Avon on August 4th to take up new jobs after three years of living in Warwickshire following their wedding. Alex was due to start a new role as a Key Worker in a special needs school in Westerham, but his interests and jobs were many and varied. They included over 10 years as a Martial Arts Tutor and he was a member of 'Combust' and then 'Stratfire' - fire performing groups.

Alex was also passionate about camping and being outdoors. He enjoyed charity runs including 'Tough Mudder' and 'Tough Guy' and he helped lead the Rotary young leaders award. In his spare time, he worked for 'Take a Break' which is an organisation that gives respite care to families who have children with disabilities and he was also doing a degree through the Open University in leadership and management.

Alex’s caring nature and willingness to make time for everyone is evident in how he spent his spare time working with children suffering from Autism as well as spending two life changing weeks in Uganda last year with his wife and a group from Tonbridge Baptist Church, refurbishing a school in Rwentobo as well as teaching and interacting with the children there. He maintained strong links and was passionate about returning there for another fortnight in February 2016.

Hundreds of tributes have flooded social media in the days following Alex’s tragic death. He touched countless numbers of lives but the greatest loss will be felt by his wife, Jessica, his family and close friends for whom this tragedy is an unbearable loss.

A family spokesperson stated “Alex was our loving and beautiful husband, son, brother, uncle and godfather, who always wore a wonderful smile or cheeky grin, and of whom we are all immensely proud. He was full of energy, with a constantly positive outlook and a real zest for life that shined through in all that he did. As devastated as we are by his sudden death, we take comfort from knowing just how many people he touched, the difference he really did make, and knowledge that he was just so loved by all. He will remain forever in our hearts and treasured memories.”

A thanksgiving service is to be held at Tonbridge Baptist Church on Tuesday 18th August at 2pm.