THE grieving mother of a young man killed in a car crash on his way home from work has paid tribute to “a perfect son and father”.

Tony da Silva died instantly when his car hit a wall at the junction of North End and Charlton Road at 2am last Thursday.

He was driving back to Creech St Michael, where his two-year-old daughter Aaliyah lives with her mother Chantelle Frounks, after work in a pub in Street.

Tributes have poured in for Mr da Silva, who attended the former St Augustine of Canterbury School, Taunton, and lived in Cheddon Fitzpaine, while a trust fund has been started for Aaliyah.

His mother Fatima has been overwhelmed by the amount of people contacting her say- ing they loved and cared about her son, who leaves twin sister Tania and brother Lee.

She said: “Tony touched an awful lot of people. He was the perfect son and father, always there when I needed him and had so many friends.

“He’d have been pleased his daughter was being taken care of, with a trust fund for when she’s 18. She was his life.”

After leaving school, Mr da Silva worked at Primark, KFC and Dellers before being tak- en on at the Perkin Warbeck, later being transferred to The Lantokay, Street.

A message on the Perkin Warbeck Facebook account said: “The Wetherspoon fami- ly has lost a brother. He will be sorely missed by all.”

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “Tony was well-liked and respected by all his friends and colleagues.”

Police have appealed for information about the crash, which saw the road closed for six hours. Witnesses should call Taunton Police on 101, quoting CI/117/16.

A requiem mass for Mr da Silva is being held at St George’s RC Church, Taunton, at 1pm on Saturday, followed by burial at Taunton Deane Cremato- rium with his and Chantelle’s son Logen, who died soon after being born in 2012.

People are asked to wear something pink and there will be a collection for Aaliyah’s trust fund.

Ray Hallett, who lives near the crash site, was alerted to the crash by a couple banging on his door.

He said: “We went out and saw the car tipped on its side and waited for the police.