The devastated wife of a man killed as he crossed the road spoke of her heartbreak as their 51-year love story came to an end.

Christine Barber, known as Chris, married Alan in 1968. The pair met in Worthing in 1965, where Mr Barber was fatally struck by a motorcycle on Friday at 4.10pm.

Mrs Barber watched in horror as her husband lay on the ground dying.

Speaking from her home in North Lane, Por tslade, yesterday, she sobbed: “We lived for each other.

“We were so happy with each other.

“I never, never, never stopped loving him and I never will. He was my entire life.

“He was perfect, my whole world and it’s all been taken away from me.”

Mr Barber, known as Buster, loved to make models. The morning he died he was working on an intricate model boat.

Mrs Barber, who recently retired, continued: “He said he loved having me around now I’d retired. He said he loved pottering about and me being there.”

The couple were shopping for a new suite at Bathstore in North Street when Mr Barber was hit.

They had parked opposite the store in the Lidl car park and Mr Barber had popped across the road to move the car so they did not get fined.

Recalling the incident, Mrs Barber said: “Someone said there had been a crash and I instantly went over to the window.

“I saw him lying there covered in blood.

“He was so kind and he always thought of others before himself and now he has been taken away from me.”

Mr Barber, 70, was a retired service engineer who grew up in Ringmer, near Lewes.

He had two brothers and three sisters.

Sussex Police are investigating the incident.

Sergeant Paul Wood, of the Road Policing Unit, said: “This was a busy road on a Friday afternoon and we are appealing for witnesses to this tragic collision.”

Anyone who witnessed the collision should call 0845 6070999 quoting Operation Henwick.