TRIBUTES were paid today to a York classic car enthusiast who died in a road crash while towing a police car used in the popular ITV drama Heartbeat.

John Norton Harrison, 63, of Shipton Lane, Wigginton, was killed when the pickup truck he was driving collided with a Ford Focus on the A19 near Shipton-by-Beningbrough.

The Focus driver, William Charles Smith, of Tamworth Road, Clifton, York, escaped uninjured.

Mr Harrison's best friend, Peter Egan, who also rents classic cars to be used in Heartbeat, was at the scene when the accident happened.

He was too upset to talk today, but his wife Pam, 57, said from the couple's home, in North Lane, off Malton Road, York: "It is all so sad. Our friend, Peter's best friend, has been killed. He was a great friend and will be very badly missed. Everybody is in total shock."

Mr Harrison's widow was too upset to talk to the Evening Press.

Pat Brown, producer of Heartbeat, said: "John provided many of the vehicles since the programme began. He was a good colleague and friend to everyone on Heartbeat and will be sadly missed by us all. Our thoughts are with his family."

The crash, which occurred at about 10.30am yesterday, was the second on North Yorkshire's roads in less than 24 hours.

On Monday, Andrew Charles Plummer, from Union Street, Hamilton, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, was killed on the A1 at Kirby Hill, near Boroughbridge.

His wife looked on helplessly as a lorry ploughed into the middle-aged couple's car while Mr Plummer changed a tyre.

The lorry driver was arrested and is currently on police bail. Any witnesses to the incident - which occurred at about 2.40pm - should contact police on 01423 539474.

That crash took place near the scene of the notorious A1 "Good Samaritan" crash in which six people died in November, 2000.

Three people had stopped to help after York social worker Sandra Jennings, 37, her sister Karen McCutcheon, 39, and brother-in-law Colin McCutcheon, of Aberdeen, survived a crash in their Vauxhall Carlton.

But all six died when trucker Brian France ploughed into their parked vehicles. He is currently serving five years in jail for causing death by dangerous driving.

Police are also seeking witnesses for yesterday's crash at Shipton-by-Beningbrough, which happened about a mile outside the village, close to the Little Chef restaurant.

Officers said they particularly want to speak to anyone driving behind the Ford Focus, which was heading north, away from Shipton.

Mr Harrison's pickup was travelling in the opposite direction. Anyone with information should ring 01904 631321.

Updated: 10:47 Wednesday, October 02, 2002