LISKEARD'S mayor has paid tribute to town crier Frank Beer who died in a car crash on the A30 last Wednesday.

Cllr Tony Powell said Mr Beer was widely respected in the town for his work.

He said: "Frank was a much loved and respected figure in the town, whose quiet dignity and passion when he talked about Liskeard earned him widespread respect.

"The town council has been inundated with messages and expressions of sympathy, particularly from other criers here and overseas."

Liskeard Town Council was due to discuss ways of publicly remembering Mr Beer in the town at their meeting last night.

Mr Beer, from Pensilva, was travelling on the A30 near Launceston when his semi-automatic Peugeot 107 was involved in a collision with a Land Rover at the Plusha junction.

His son, Tim Beer, a former police officer, said his father was on his way to an appointment at the Truscott's car dealership in Launceston to have the accelerator checked.

Recall

Mr Beer's three-year-old car was one of 6,000 semi-automatic Peugeot 107s subject to a recall issued by French car maker Peugeot Citroen.

Police are now carrying out mechanical investigations on both vehicles.

Tim Beer said he was desperate for answers. "We want to know if the vehicle was responsible for the accident or not.," he said. "My father's dead; you can't bring him back. If there's a problem with Peugeot, how many other people might face that problem?" The accident happened at Two Lanes, Lewannick, at about 12.30pm.

Mr Beer died at the scene while the Land Rover driver, a 44-year-old woman from West Sussex, was described as 'walking wounded'. The road was closed for six hours while police investigated the crash.

Mr Beer, a father of two and grandfather of two, was born in Plymouth and served in the Royal Navy for 22 years.

On leaving the Navy, Mr Beer was a special education teacher in Plymouth before, on retiring, becoming Liskeard's town crier as a hobby.

His son added: "I spoke to him a few days ago and although he was 83 there was nothing wrong with him.

"Thankfully the other people involved in the other vehicle were described as walking wounded.

"If there are potential problems with these cars, then these manufacturers need to get these cars in and dealt with as soon as possible."

A spokesman for Peugeot Citroen, Europe's second-biggest carmaker, said: "We are aware of the accident. We cannot comment because we are awaiting police reports. When we know more we can comment."

Police said they were unable to comment further on the incident as a mechanical investigation of the vehicle was still taking place.

Any witnesses to the crash are asked to contact police on 08452 777444 quoting incident 365 of March 10, 2010.

● The funeral of Mr Beer will take place on Thursday, March 25, at 2pm at St Martin's Church, Liskeard, and will include a guard of honour of town criers.