A married couple who were killed in an alleged hit-and-run as they rode a tandem were hoping to start a family and were due to begin IVF treatment, friends said on Monday.
Ross and Clare Simons – described by friends as "two peas in a pod" – had just been given the go-ahead for fertility treatment. They celebrated the news on Saturday night with friends at a meal.
Less than 24 hours later, Simons, 34, and his 30-year-old wife died when their bicycle was in collision with a Citroen Picasso car in Hanham, near Bristol. Police said the car struck another vehicle before colliding with the bicycle.
The couple, who had been married for about 18 months and been together for several years, died at the scene of the crash on Lower Hanham Road.
A 38-year-old man, who is alleged to have fled after the collision, handed himself in to police hours later. He remains in police custody having been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
A 35-year-old woman has also been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.
Family friend Diane Pullin, from Kingswood, Bristol, said: "They are a lovely family, so kind and so helpful.
"They'd just had news that they were able to have fertility treatment … everything to live for.
It's just terrible and it shouldn't have happened. Two young people with their lives in front of them … snapped away just like that.
Pullin said her daughter Shelley and son-in-law Darren had been out for a meal on Saturday night with the Simonses. "They desperately wanted children and it wasn't happening," Pullin said.
"They'd just been given the go-ahead. They were so happy on Saturday night.
"My daughter says she's got helium balloons at the top of her stairs wishing them luck and she can't even look at them.
"Like she said to me just now, 'How can I be with them on Saturday night and they're not here now?' It just shows that nobody knows. No one could have thought this on Saturday night.
"It's just so sad. It's all I can really say. Such a waste of a life. All these questions of why?"'
Steve Camm spoke of his shock at the deaths of the young couple after leaving flowers at the scene. "There were like two peas in a pod," he said. "They were never apart. They could never do enough for anybody. They were caring people."
"They always did random stuff. You could never stop them from having fun. It's devastating."
Among the floral tributes was one card that read: "Ross and Claire, you were an amazing couple and fantastic people.
"You will be missed so so much by all.
"RIP, gone but never forgotten. In our hearts for ever.
"All our love Darren, Shelley and Joshua xxx."
Locals living in the predominantly residential street spoke of their shock that a hit-and-run could happen in the area. Rev Peter Cook, of Hanham Baptist Church, said: "I think it is shock and incomprehension. It has ripped the community to its heart.
"I was just told about it when I was about to start my evening service and I really thought the person telling me was having me on.
"We stopped the service and prayed for what was going on - it seemed just so implausible.
"You don't expect it happening on a Sunday afternoon when you are out for a cycle. I think it was totally out of the ordinary and that's why people are so shocked by it.
"I know lots and lots of people in the community are praying for them and we want to give their families our deepest sympathies. We can't imagine what it's like to lose two people like this."
Police said that shortly before 4pm on Sunday, police attempted to pull over a Citroen Picasso that was travelling along Lower Hanham Road at speed.
A spokesman added "The officer began to follow the car, but it was lost to sight almost immediately. Very shortly afterwards the car struck another vehicle and then collided with two cyclists on a tandem bicycle."
Inspector Frazer Davey, from the collision investigation team, said: "I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or saw this car in the area shortly before the collision to come forward and contact us.
"This is a tragic incident in which two people have needlessly lost their lives. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their families."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed it had received a referral from the force.
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