The grieving family of a 48 year-old man killed by a car while walking along the pavement have thanked the community as friends question why railings on the busy junction were removed at the junction where he died.

Kathy Westnott, whose brother Philip Westnott was killed by a car at the busy junction of Merantun Way and Christchurch Road in Colliers Wood, said the family's friends, neighbours and the wider community have pulled together and helped them through this difficult time.

Speaking after her brother's funeral last week, which saw 150 people pack into St Joseph's Church, Miss Westnott said she had been grateful for everyone's support and wanted to say thank you publicly.

“Thanks to all of his friends and family and friends at the Irish Club in Wimbledon, and everyone that tried to help,” Miss Westnott said.

She said it was nice to see so many people at the funeral and it showed he had a lot of friends who cared for him.

“He was a kind and gentle person,” she added.

Mr Westnott had been walking along the road on the afternoon of Saturday, June 27, when he was fatally hit by a white Mazda. The driver is believed to have had an epileptic fit at the wheel and mounted the pavement.

Parents' grief after son, 48, mowed down in Colliers Wood when driver 'lost control in epileptic fit'

Members of the public including young mother Jessica Edwards stopped at the scene and tried to help, but realising it was too late, shielded him from prying eyes and photographers.

Miss Westnott said she and her neighbours in Colliers Wood were questionning the removal of railings on the road.

She said the stretch of the busy road where the crash happened used to have railings, which were removed some time ago.

She said: “There used to be a railing there but it was taken down for some reason.

“It seems if that was still there it would have prevented it, it could have stopped it.”

Mr Westnott, a carpenter who had moved to Cheam three weeks earlier, had been shopping at Marks and Spencers and appeared to be on his way to visit his parents in Christchurch Close when he was hit.

His family paid tribute to him after the collision and a collection at his funeral last Monday raised money for the RSPCA and the Rainbow Trust, two charities he supported.

“He was soppy like that,” Miss Westnott added.