TRIBUTES have been paid to a Penarth dad who died in an accident on the M4 motorway on Monday evening (April 25).

The family of a 38-year-old Richard Cox said he was 'a devoted husband and a fantastic father'.

And his employer, Dragon Recovery, for whom he was working on a call-out when the accident happened, said he was 'a lovely guy and a team player'.

Mr Cox was called to a breakdown on the hard shoulder of the motorway between junction 35 at Pencoed and junction 36 at Sarn, near Bridgend on Easter Monday.

He was fatally injured as a result of a collision, which occurred shortly before 7.30pm, and involved a white Fiat camper van, a red and grey Volvo articulated tanker vehicle, and a white, green and red Isuzu recovery vehicle.

Mr Cox lived in Penarth with his wife Louisa, three-year-old daughter Caitlin and 15-year-old stepson Dean.

Mrs Cox said: “Rich was a devoted husband to me and a fantastic father to Dean and Caitlin.

"He was a wonderful son, brother and grandson, and his death will leave a void in the lives of all who knew him.”

Steve Powell, Chairman of Dragon Rescue where Mr Cox had worked for 18 years, said: "He was carrying out a textbook recovery and had the people safe over the other side of the road, so they were not hurt.

"We are a very close knit team, and as a company we have been in shock.

"He was very experienced. He was a lovely guy and a team player for us," he added.

"He was such a happy colleague who was always attentive and hard working."

South Wales Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact them, and say the road was busy at the time of the collision.

Officers would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or who stopped to provide assistance, or anyone who may have seen the vehicles being driven prior to the collision and who has not yet given their details.

The road was closed for around five hours while police carried out a forensic collision investigation, initial investigations and recovered the vehicles.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Wales Police Roads Policing Unit in Gwaelod-y-Garth on 101 or Crimstoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.