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Tributes Wateringbury mum Suzanne Maclachlan killed in crash on A228

00:01, 31 August 2017

A husband has paid tribute to his wife, saying she "loved people and people loved her".

Suzanne Maclachlan was killed when her Peugeot 206 collided with a Ford Transit van on the A228 Malling Road in Mereworth.

The Wateringbury mum-of-one suffered multiple injuries in the crash on Sunday, August 20, and was airlifted to King’s College Hospital in London. She died shortly after arrival.

Suzanne Maclachlan
Suzanne Maclachlan

Her husband of 41 years, Ken, paid tribute to the woman who "changed" him.

Speaking at their Glenleigh Road home, he said: “We were joined at the hip, people used to say we were inseparable. I lived to make her happy.”

The couple met when Mr Maclachlan was in the Merchant Navy, which he left soon after to go on adventures of a different kind.

The 62-year-old said: “We lived on a yacht for a few years and sailed it from Aberystwyth up the west coast of England.

The van involved in the fatal crash
The van involved in the fatal crash

"I loved that because I’d been sailing since I was a boy, but I think Sue missed the social parts of life.”

Mrs Maclachlan remedied this when they moved to Wateringbury around 10 years ago, taking up a job as a cleaner with the couple’s son Lee, and attending Zumba classes with friends.

She even continued to attend sessions throughout her three-year battle with lung cancer, and raised thousands for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.

Her husband added: “She was just an amazing person, she loved everyone, and I’ll miss her every day.”

Suzanne with her son Lee when they were younger
Suzanne with her son Lee when they were younger

Police continue to appeal for witnesses to the crash, and want to speak to anyone who saw the white van as it travelled from Paddock Wood to Mereworth.

The male van driver was treated for injuries in hospital before being discharged, and arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit.

He was later interviewed under caution before being released pending further investigation.

To help police call 01622 798538, quoting reference MW/181/17.

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