The family of a man who died after he is thought to have swerved to avoid a mattress in the road are raising funds to lay him to rest with his late wife.

Clive Mauger, of Devon Close, Chatham, was killed when he crashed on Blue Bell Hill on Monday, January 30.

VIDEO: Josie Hannett reports

The 69-year-old came off the Maidstone-bound carriageway and hit some trees. It is believed he was swerving to avoid a mattress that had fallen from another car.

The widower leaves behind four children and two grandchildren. His family are now desperately hoping to raise the money needed to take his body to Saint Helier in Jersey, where his wife Maria is buried.

Maria died suddenly 24 years ago from a brain haemorrhage, aged 36. Their children were aged just two, five, eight and 14 at the time.

"The family has been through so much heartache and now this" - niece Julie Muren

His family want to bury Mr Mauger alongside his wife and his mother in a family plot in Surville Cemetery.

His niece Julie Muren said: “It was what he wanted, we have always known that. The family will be devastated if we cannot raise they money to fulfil his wish.”

Ms Muren, who lives in Norway, added: “Clive never got over losing his wife. The family has been through so much heartache and now this."

The cemetery plot is paid for but it will cost more than £5,000 to get Mr Mauger back to Jersey. The retired security guard did not have life insurance. His children, who all live in Medway, also need to raise the costs of getting there themselves.

Ms Muren has set up an online donation page.

She said: “I was over visiting the family at the weekend and I felt compelled to do something.

"The family don’t have any money. They have had a terrible life. The family was ripped apart when Maria died.

"Due to his situation Clive never built up any financial security.

"I noticed that the story online about his death had a lot of lovely comments. If all those people could donate just a little something, it would mean so much.

"Clive was such a nice man. He was so kind and helpful. When the accident happened he was on his way to visit a sick friend.”

Mr Mauger and his family are originally from Jersey but moved to Chatham around 20 years ago after Maria’s death.

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/bluebellhilldeathcrash