The wife of a man who died in a tragic driving accident has described him as "the best dad".

Father-of-three Paul Ashurst was killed instantly when his car hit a wall and overturned in the early hours of yesterday morning.

He had recently separated from his wife, Tracy, who had been with him since her teens.

But they remained on good terms and he had been planning to go to the circus with her and their children last night.

The mature student was father to Charlotte, six, Jack, four, and two-month-old Michael.

Tracy said: "He was just the best dad. He took the children every Friday and they had so much fun when they were with him.

"We were together for eight years and, although we were separated, we still got on really well.

"He was always the best dad he could ever have been. When a lot of people split up, you never know how it's going to be but he was always there for the children."

Tracy, 27, said she could not believe he was gone.

She said: "I spoke to him earlier that day. He said he was on his way out and he was going to come round today and we would all go to the circus together."

Paul, 32, lived in Hythe Road, Brighton, and was a student at Sussex University.

Spokesman Andrew Proctor said students and staff were "shocked and deeply saddened" by his death.

Tracy said: "Paul was doing an engineering degree to secure a better future for the children.

"He was also working doing pizza deliveries to pay for his rent and to give me some money when he had enough."

The circumstances surrounding the death remain a mystery and police are continuing their investigations.

Paul was driving a green Rover Metro along Upper Lewes Road, Brighton.

The car crashed into a wall on the other side of the road and flipped, crossing the carriageway and landing on its roof.

Mr Ashurst suffered serious head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tracy was last night being comforted by her family, who live in Worthing.

Paul's family was also due to fly back to the UK from their home in Spain.

The funeral will take place next Friday.