A GRIEF-stricken mother has spoken about the loss of her 22-year-old husband, who died after being crushed when a 32-tonne lorry toppled onto the pavement.

Khalil Khan, of Moorgate Street, Blackburn, died yesterday in Blackburn Royal Infirmary - two days after the vehicle, carrying bales of paper, fell onto him at the junction of the A666 Bolton Road and M65 link road in Darwen.

He had been looking forward to a bright start to the new Millennium with his wife Claire Johanson, 21, as their five-month-old daughter, Hannah Estelle Khan, had recently recovered from meningitis.

Khalil had worked as a joiner at Ultraframe Conservatory Manufacturers in Clitheroe for the past two years, and Claire said he was heading to work on the morning of the accident.

She was distraught after going to the scene of the accident and finding the cap he had been wearing lying on the floor.

She said: "I want people to know about Khalil, not just for him to be in people's minds as some unknown pedestrian who was knocked down. He was so caring and I'll never forget his smile. He'd do anything for anyone, and he was such a special person. I just can't explain how much I'm going to miss him. I love him so much and I don't know what I'm going to do without him.

"He meant the world to me. He was such a kind, considerate person. He was only 22, and it doesn't seem fair that he's gone. He fought against different problems for us to be together. We were different colours and from different cultures and people didn't think we were ever going to make it but we wanted to prove them wrong. "He lived with his head in the clouds and he was always optimistic about everything.

"We spent five weeks in hospital with Hannah but we didn't spend enough time together. His New Year resolution was for us all to be happy after Hannah recovered from meningitis.

"I'll try to do my best for Hannah. We were going to bring her up to learn about different religions and different cultures. She's going to grow up with prejudice from both sides, but it will just go over her head if she's anything like her dad."

Claire said they had planned their future together and hoped to start their own business.

The couple met at Blackburn College, and they both worked at Northwood Nursing and Residential Care Home in Blackburn for two years. They were married in December 1998 at a Blackburn mosque.

Khalil was born in Blackburn and had lived in the town all his life. He was a former pupil at Queen's Park High School and Intack County Primary School in Blackburn.

He is survived by his parents, Dita and Rashida Khan, of Accrington Road, Blackburn, as well as five brothers and one sister.

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