TRIBUTES have been paid to a boy who died following a road traffic collision on the A12 at Chelmsford.

Police were called at 3.40am on Thursday August 25 following reports that a pedestrian had been struck by a van on the northbound slip road to the A414 at Sandon.

He suffered multiple injuries and was taken to Broomfield Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he died on Friday August 26.

He has been named as Joshua Saunders, 18, of Hullbridge Road, South Woodham Ferrers.

His family said: "Joshua was the much-loved son of Roger and Diane, and brother to Luke, Lauren and Jamie-Lee.

"He will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved him. He was taken from us far too early. 

"Josh had just received his A-level results and had done very well and was planning to go to Germany to work to expand his vast vocabulary in German further. 

"He was a keen sportsman, taking part regularly in games of football and many trips abroad snowboarding. 

"Josh was very outgoing, smart, full of quirky one liners and had a cheeky smile. 

"He will be well and truly missed.”