THE family of a Sydenham crash victim have spoken of how his death has 'ripped the heart out of their family.'

Aaron Mortley, 25, was killed after his car hit a wall in Mayow Road, Sydenham, at around 6.30am on Sunday morning.

His family have spoken to News Shopper, in his old room, to pay tribute to the young father whose "smile could light up the room."

Mother Claudette Mortley, 46, of St Norbert Road, Brockley, said: "I am going to miss him like you wouldn't believe.

"Having him saved my life.

"His death has bought a lot of the family back together for the first time in 10 years.

"That's the kind of guy he was."

She showed News Shopper photos of him as a child, including one which led to his nickname 'Buddha' because of how short his hair had been cut.

She also took out cuttings from when he had been featured in the News Shopper for his youth work (September 27 2006).

His uncle. Anthony Mortley, 47, grew particularly close to him when Aaron moved in with him for 18 months.

"I feel like I was his dad as well as his uncle.

"He did a lot of voluntary work, just a week ago he'd taken kids from the estate to Southend for a day trip.

"His smile could light up this room.

"People are starting to make out now that he was some gangster but he wasn't, he was dozy and clumsy and loveable. I think he probably fell asleep at the wheel, he was always falling asleep.

"He worked for me for my company in Bromley, cleaning bins for 18 months - not many would have stuck it out for that long but he did.

"Since then he worked in a shop in Catford, he was seen as 'top dog' there.

"His death has ripped the heart out of this family.

"I am never going to stop feeling like this. I'm never going to stop crying for him."

Aaron's girlfriend Nadish Simms, 23, and their five-year-old daughter Amaiya hare also trying to piece together the rest of their lives.

Amaiyah was playing in the front room with officers as another policeman broke the news to the family on Sunday morning.

Miss Simms told News Shopper through tears: "We'd been together for seven years but I'd known him since I was 13.

"I was attracted to him because of his smile.

"I can see a lot of him in Amaiya and he loved being a father.

"That's how I knew something had happened - because he hasn't come to get Amaiya in the morning.

"He was coming back from a party that night but I don't know where he was going to.

"I don't know how I'm going to cope now. He wouldn't have wanted me to give up though, he would want me to carry on and be strong for our daughter."