TRIBUTES have been paid to a 'cheeky chap with a heart of gold' who died in a crash on St Peter's Way.

Dean Gray, aged 29, was killed in the crash in the early hours of Sunday morning when the green BMW he was driving left the road and collided with the barriers, a lamppost and several trees.

He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near the Kearsley junction heading in the Manchester direction.

Now his mother has paid tribute to him.

She said: “Dean was a cheeky chap with a heart of gold, I can’t believe my boy has gone. He was my life, my world, my everything.

“He loved fast cars and he loved his music, especially UB40 and Tupac. He was a much loved son, brother, nephew and cousin.

“Good night, God bless from the bottom of my heart.”

Tributes have flooded in for Mr Gray on social media since his death.

Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage of the crash.

Sergeant Lee Westhead from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: "My thoughts continue to be with Dean’s family at this devastating time.

“We need to know exactly what happened and I would urge anyone who was driving on that road around the time of the collision to please contact us.”

Information can be passed on by calling SCIU on 0161 856 4741.