Tributes have been paid to a “beautiful, kind, caring and loving" 19-year-old man, who sadly died following a crash on the A602.

Oliver Gatfield, from Stevenage, was travelling home after a meal out at around 8.40pm on Saturday, January 13, when the incident occurred.

The car Oliver was travelling in, a white Volkswagen Polo, struck a tree after being involved in a collision on the A602 Park Way, near to the junction with Willow Lane, Hitchin.

Oliver sadly died at the scene, and another man in his late teens remains in hospital due to injuries suffered during the incident.

Paying tribute, Oliver’s family said: "To our beautiful, kind, caring and loving Oliver, we never thought we would have to do anything like this – it’s so very, very hard.

"You have been taken from us far too early and we cannot believe we will never see you or your beautiful smile again.

“Each day we miss you bounding through the front door with your big, beautiful, infectious smile and your boundless energy, always rushing from one place to the next.

"You could brighten anyone’s day with that smile and your ability to make people laugh, even as a small child.

“From the day we first held you, we knew you were special and growing up you were always the entertainer making others laugh.

The Comet: Oliver Gatfield, who sadly died following a crash on the A602.Oliver Gatfield, who sadly died following a crash on the A602. (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

"Nanny always said you should become a comedian because of the way you captured a room and made everyone laugh.

“The list of what we miss about you is endless. Mum never got used to how tall you had become. When you hugged her she felt so loved, and so very small.

"Those hugs were just the best and will always be missed. She can still see you standing there, coming in to give her those hugs.

“We will always love you so much and are grateful even for the short time we got to spend with you. You grew up into such a lovely young man, you were our complete world and life is just never going to be the same without you and your gorgeous smile in it.

"We are so proud of the man you become with your kind, caring nature, your heart of gold, the way you helped your friends and the fact that no matter what you were doing, you were going to have fun while you were doing it.

"You just had a natural ability to light up any room and make people smile and laugh. You always made everyone’s day brighter. That smile will be truly missed forever."

Hertfordshire police's investigation is ongoing, with Sergeant Nicholas Kane adding: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this extremely difficult time.

"If you have any information at all, please get in touch. Thank you.”

Information can be reported online at www.herts.police.uk/ro/report or by calling the police's non-emergency number 101, quoting ISR 670 of 13 January.

Hertfordshire police's web chat function can be used by visiting herts.police.uk/contact.

Anonymous information can be given by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.