TRIBUTES have been paid to an army chaplain killed in a crash on the A303.

Rev Garry James Humphryes, 56, died after his car came off the A303 near Amesbury, between the Cholderton and Amesbury junctions. His body was found in a white Ford Fiesta which was spotted at the bottom of a steep bank by a passing lorry driver.

The vicar’s family said: “Garry was a loving husband, a wonderful step father, a caring son and brother. He was a devoted priest and cared deeply and passionately about the welfare of his soldiers and fellow Chaplains. He will be greatly missed by all.”

Rev Humphryes was described as a keen country sportsman, also enjoying football and cricket. He leaves his wife, Pam, and daughter Heather.

Born in London in 1962, he grew up a keen cricketer and cross country runner competing to county level. He worked as a printer, before training as an Anglican priest.

He went to the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield to train as an Anglican Priest, being ordained in the Diocese of Blackburn in 1995 to the Curacy of St Paul’s Little Marsden. He became Diocesan Race and Community Relations Officer alongside parochial responsibility at St Cuthbert’s Darwen with St Stephen, Tockholes in 1998.

He was appointed vicar of St Barnabas' church, Morecombe, in 2004, and joined the local territorial army unit.

He joined the Royal Army Chaplain’s Department in 2008, serving overseas and in the UK, and was recently serving at St Barbara's Garrison Church at Deepcut Barracks, Surrey.

Following the accident on June 4, police appealed for dashcam footage of his vehicle on the A303 that day. The accident was discovered around 3.30pm and the road had to be closed while the car was recovered.