The pedestrian who died in the car accident outside a Harpenden supermarket yesterday has been named locally as Colin Moxley.

Police said a pedestrian in his sixties died from serious head and chest injuries after a grey Volkswagen collided with him outside the Sainsbury’s store in Bower’s Parade at 11.25am on Tuesday.

A note on the door of High Street tobacconist and confectioners Thorns, which Mr Moxley ran with his son Glenn, said the shop would be closed for the ‘next few days’ due to a bereavement.

Nicola Hackett, landlady at the Old Cock Inn, told the Review: “I have known Colin for more than 20 years, he was a fantastic guy who will be sorely missed.

“His presence will be missed in the town – it’s shocking news for everyone.”

Last year Mr Moxley put on an impressive window tribute to the fallen of WW1, which he spent six months creating.

Liz Rollings from the Rollings Wine Company said Mr Moxley was a pillar of the Harpenden business community.

She said: “I've known Colin for 30 years. I used to take my kids down to the sweet shop.

“We are absolutely devastated it's such a loss for the whole town. All his fellow business owners are devastated and on a personal level we have lost a great man."

Bower’s Parade was closed for a number of hours while emergency services – including air ambulance – attended the scene yesterday.

Floral tributes have been left outside Sainsbury's this morning as news of the tragedy spread through the town.

A message attached to a bouquet of flowers reads: “Colin, you will be dearly missed as a rock in Harpenden’s society.

“We will miss you! Laura, Dave and Steve formally of the Old Bell”.

There were also flowers laid by children as young as 10 and 13.

Resident Lys Vaughen, one of those to leave a tribute, told the Review: "I have lived her since 1979 and in all those years I've known Colin. This is an enormous loss for Harpenden.

"He was much loved. I took my grandchildren into his shop last year and he was great with them, really took time out to speak to them. This has totally shocked the town. He was very popular."

The driver of the Volkswagen, a woman in her eighties, was treated for shock at the scene and was taken to Luton and Dunstable University Hospital with minor injuries.

St Albans & Harpenden Review: Colin Moxley fatal

Police have not yet officially confirmed the name of the deceased man but officers have launched a witness appeal.

PC Robert Hauxwell from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit is investigating the collision and said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family who are being supported by a specialist officer at this very difficult time.

“We would like to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision and would urge anyone who saw the incident itself, or the vehicle and events prior to it, to contact me as soon as possible.”

Contact police on the 101 non-emergency enquiry line with any information about the collision.