A BUSINESSMAN from Bovey Tracey died when his car smashed into a tree on Haldon Hill yesterday (Sun, Oct 8).

The 54-year-old driver has been named locally as printing boss Andy Penny, of Ashburton Road.

Mr Penny owned Newton Abbot firm Abbey Printers.

The motorist was pronounced dead at the scene after the accident on the Plymouth-bound carriageway near the Haldon Diner just after 2.30pm.

Police confirmed that Mr Penny’s Ford Fiesta was the only car involved in the accident.

Officers rushed to the scene on the A38 where they established that father-of-two Mr Penny was the only occupant of the crashed vehicle.

Two fire crews from Exeter also responded to the 999 incident.

Police revealed Mr Penny’s family had been informed of the tragedy, as had the South Devon coroner who is expected to open an inquest later this week to take formal evidence of identity.

Both lanes of the A38 were closed while collision investigators examined the scene.

Officers from the Roads Policing team are appealing for witnesses to the incident.

Anyone with information should contact police via [email protected] or by calling 101, quoting log number 491 of October 8.

Bovey Tracey businessman Pete Horrell, who worked with Mr Penny for many years, said this afternoon: ‘I knew Andy a long time. His death is an awful shock to everyone. It’s an absolute shame.’

Mr Horrell, who supplied printing materials to Abbey Printers – which for many years was based in The Avenue, Newton Abbot – added: ‘I could not believe it when I heard the news.’

He was caught up in the road closure mayhem which followed the accident, sending diverted traffic from Haldon Hill to Telegraph Hill.

One Newton Abbot printer said of the tragedy: ‘We were so shocked to hear the terrible news. It’s very sad. I feel very much for his wife Julie and the two boys.’