A NEIGHBOUR has paid tribute to the father-of-two killed after being struck by a lorry on the A27.
Alan Potter, of Hewett Road, North End, Portsmouth, died on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old was struck by a lorry on the eastbound carriageway, at Chichester, at 7.25am.
Mr Potter, who worked for energy company Scottish and Southern Electric, died at the scene of the accident.
He was not in a vehicle when it happened and police are still investigating the circumstances.
The road was closed in both directions for several hours as police tried to piece together what happened.
The driver of the lorry was a 38-year-old man from Bristol who was shaken but unhurt.
Dave Brown, Mr Potter’s next-door-neighbour, said he was devastated to hear of his friend’s death.
The 68-year-old grandfather said: ‘I’m gutted. I cannot believe Alan has gone.
‘It’s so sad. I was going to knock on the door to make sure everything was alright because there’s been people going in and out of the house all day. Then they came and took away his work van.
‘Alan was an absolutely smashing bloke. You couldn’t wish for a better neighbour.
‘He always seemed so happy. He would give me advice about stuff in the house and I would give him advice.
‘I feel so sorry for his family.’
Mr Potter would travel around the south digging up roads ready for cables to be laid.
He was divorced with two children who he saw regularly.
Mr Potter had lived at the house, with a lodger, for around two years and was redecorating it.
Mr Brown added: ‘It was lovely to see him with the boys, they were so close.’
A spokesman for SSE said: ‘We would like to say we are deeply saddened and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends.’
In a statement Sussex Police said: ‘The pedestrian who was killed after being in collision with a lorry on the A27 between Emsworth and Chichester on Tuesday has been named by police.
‘He was Alan Potter, 45, of Hewett Road, Portsmouth.
‘Emergency services were called to the collision on the A27 eastbound at 7.25am. Mr Potter sadly died at the scene.
‘The lorry driver, a 38-year-old Bristol man, was unhurt but shaken.
‘The road was closed eastbound at the Fishbourne roundabout and traffic was diverted at the A27 junction with the A259 at Warblington.
‘There was significant traffic congestion from the Hampshire border into West Sussex while the collision was being investigated.’
Police are appealing for witnesses. Ring Sussex Police on 101 quoting Operation Kirkcaldy.
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