TWO children were left orphaned on Friday when their parents Graham and Nicola Smith died in a head-on collision on the A361 between Caen Hill and Seend Fork.

The couple's 13-year-old son Sam was a passenger in the car and is still in hospital recovering from his injuries.

John Selway, 33, of Steeple Ashton, near Trowbridge, an accountant with Ringway Parkman based in Devizes, the driver of the second car, was taken to the Royal United Hospital, Bath, but died later.

Mr and Mrs Smith, of Blackberry Lane, Potterne, were teenage sweethearts and did everything together. Their daughter Lucy, ten, was a pupil at Potterne Primary and was due to be the lead in an upcoming production of Cinderella. But this has now been postponed.

She was with her grandparents Maurice and Jean Smith in Devizes at the time. They are now caring for her at their home in Hillworth Gardens.

The accident happened around 7.30pm on the Devizes-bound carriageway as Mr and Mrs Smith were returning to Devizes from a trip to the supermarket in their Vauxhall Astra. The impact forced the car into a field.

Mr Selway, who was driving home from work and had shortly before phoned his wife, Claire, to say he would be home soon, was driving his Vauxhall Vectra towards Seend when the collision occurred. He leaves a daughter, Bathany, three.

Mrs Smith, 39, was the daughter of popular Marlborough postman John Fell, who lives at Avebury.

Her mother Marlene Hunter has remarried and lives at Colerne.

Mr Fell and his wife, Carol, spoke this week of how close the couple had always been, and how they were rarely apart. They had even worked together at Cross Engineering, in Devizes. Mr Smith, 42, had worked there for 25 years since leaving school and his wife for four years.

Company director David Spencer said: "The whole place is devastated by what has happened. It has taken the wind out of our sails. There are people here who have known them all their lives."

Nicola Smith, known to her family by the affectionate name of Ferret, was born in Devizes, and went to Devizes Comprehensive School, and later John Bentley School after the family moved to Calne.

The family returned to live in Devizes and it was then that Nicola and Graham became teenage sweethearts.

They married in 1985 and had two children, Sam, and Lucy who had decided not to go with them to the supermarket, but stay with her grandparents in Devizes.

Although his parents were certified dead at the scene, Sam was rescued from the car by another motorist. He received serious arm injuries and has since undergone three operations.

Mr Fell said his daughter lived for her family.

Her stepmother Carol Fell said: "She was always the life and soul of the party and they were so happy together. They were inseparable."

Mr Fell said his daughter loved her work. "She loved it, especially as it meant being near Graham. Apart from when she was with her family she was never happier than when she was at Cross Engineering."

Mrs Smith had previously worked for another Devizes company, Hinchleys and at Marietta's food factory.

The couple had lived in Potterne for about four or five years.

Mr Fell, who also has two sons, Wayne and Simon, said: "Graham used to like playing the odd game of skittles but apart from that they were always together. They used to do everything as a family, that is the tragedy of it.

"It's almost fitting that they died together. They were inseparable in life, and will be inseparable in death."

The families are planning to hold a joint funeral for the couple in Potterne when Sam, a pupil at Devizes School, has fully recovered.

Mr Fell last saw his daughter and son-in-law when he went to their home last Wednesday to deliver Easter eggs for Sam and Lucy. The Fells had been due to fly out to Jamaica on Saturday for a cruise and had gone to bed on Friday evening when one of Mr Smith's family called to break the tragic news.

A neighbour and schoolfriend of the Smiths, Brenda Starr, looked after the children before and after school when the couple were at work. She had known Mrs Smith since they were both at Devizes School.

She said: "They were such a happy couple. They were always together. They were like peas in a pod. Nicola was so jolly and cheerful and she always made you laugh."

She said neighbours hoped to hold a memorial for the couple in the future.

Family friend John Beattie, also of Blackberry Lane said: "It does not seem right. They did the Christmas lights every year and there will be a black hole in that corner now."

Tribute was paid to Mr Selway by David Gibby, area director of Ringway Highway Services. He said: "John was a real asset to Ringway, honest hardworking and well liked by everyone he worked with. "

Witnesses to the crash or anyone who saw the vehicles should contact PC Steve Cox on (01380) 735004.