A MOTORIST was fighting for his life in hospital last night following a horrific head-on crash in Angus, in which an elderly married couple died.
The pensioners were killed late on Sunday night in the two-car crash on the A92 Montrose to Arbroath road at Upper Dysart, near Lunan Bay.
John Gibson, 69, and his wife Isabella, 68, of Montrose, were pronounced dead at the scene of the tragic
crash.
They married at Brechin Cathedral in 1959 and celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary only last week.
Mary Anderson, 78, a friend of the Gibsons, who was a back-seat passenger in their car, was taken to hospital with serious leg, arm and hand injuries.
The driver of the other car, a 28-year-old man from Arbroath, was said to be critically ill in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital last night.
He suffered serious head injuries and multiple fractures in the accident.
The accident happened at 10:20pm on Sunday when the pensioners' Vauxhall Meriva car, which was travelling north, was in collision with a south-bound Vauxhall Astra Coupé.
Mr Gibson, a retired long- distance lorry driver, was driving the Meriva with his wife, a retired shop assistant, in the front passenger seat. The driver of the Astra was alone in his car.
Mr and Mrs Gibson are survived by their three children: Malcolm, 48, Kenneth, 47, and Shiona, 45, and four grand children.
Their family said last night in a statement, released by Tayside Police, that the couple were "Scottish Country Dancing fanatics" and had regularly attended dance events throughout Angus.
They said: "We would like to thank everyone who has been in touch to offer their condolences at this very upsetting time. It is very much appreciated.
"Mum and dad will be missed terribly by the entire family and all of their friends, particularly those in their Scottish country dancing group. We would also like to thank members of the emergency services who assisted at the crash scene. They do an admirable job in very difficult circumstances."
Eight police units, ambulances and tenders from Tayside Fire and Rescue were called to the scene.
The road was closed for more than six hours while a detailed examination of the scene was carried out by police accident investigators.
A spokesman added: "Tayside Police are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the accident or who saw either of the vehicles being driven prior to the accident.
"John was driving his Vauxhall Meriva northwards on the A92 when it collided with a south-bound black Vauxhall Astra Coupe.
Tragically, both John and Isabella were pronounced dead at the scene."
In an earlier incident on the A92, four people escaped with minor injuries in an accident north of Montrose.
The full article contains 467 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
