Devastated mother Joanne Smith has been left to bring up her baby daughter alone after her partner, Mark Hackman, was killed in a road accident on 7 December, 2007.

Mr Hackman, of Long Eaton, Derbyshire, died when his Vauxhall Vectra hit a crash barrier and trees on the A52 near Ockbrook.

Now his seven-month-old daughter, Bethany, is facing her first Christmas without her dad.

Miss Smith, 20, said she could not believe he had gone.

"He was so kind-hearted and such a nice person. He would drop everything to help you if he could," she said.

"Since the accident, I have had phone calls every day from old friends, crying and saying that they are devastated by his death."And to top it all, Bethany will never have the chance to know her father."

Mr Hackman, 23, a former Wilsthorpe Business and Enterprise College pupil, worked at East Midlands Airport, where he cleaned aircraft.

He and Miss Smith met five-and-a-half-years ago and lived together with her family.Miss Smith, who also attended Wilsthorpe, said: "Mark was one of those people who, if he was given a job to do, he would do it thoroughly and to the best of his ability.

"He loved his cars and his music and was always tinkering with the engine, even if there was nothing wrong with it."

The couple moved from Long Eaton to Scotland to be with Mr Hackman's parents in 2006, but returned to the town when Miss Smith became pregnant with Bethany.

She said: "Mark was amazing with children and animals. People say that certain people have a natural way with kids and Mark was that sort of person. He was quiet, unassuming and just got on with things, that was his way."

Miss Smith said she had spoken every day to Chris Dudley, of Ashbourne, who was travelling in the car with Mr Hackman and was also injured when the crash happened.

She said: "He has told me that he cannot sleep, he just keeps going over the crash again and again in his head."It is just such a tragic thing to happen to such a lovely, kind person."