A BOY of just 12 has been left an orphan after his dad was killed in a road accident - just six weeks after his mum died from cancer.

Lewis Clough is now being looked after by his dad's fiancee at the home they shared in Hoyle Mill and from where they planned to marry next year.

A tearful Dawn Porter vowed: "I will give him all the love and support that I can because he needs it and he deserves it - because I love him."

Friends and neighbours are planning a massive farewell to 44-year-old Ian Clough, who was killed on his way to work on the night shift at Premdor in Darton last Thursday.

Ian, a popular and well known regular at the Corner Pocket, had been in a relationship with Lewis's mum, Mandy Kay from Lundwood for 18 years.

The couple split up less than two years ago, but earlier this year Lewis moved back to live with his dad and his fiancee Dawn in Pontefract Road, Hoyle Mill, when Mandy, who had been diagnosed with cancer, became ill.

Dawn said: "Of course it was very hard for Lewis when his mum died. We tried our best to help him, we tried to give him the stability and love any child would need in those terrible circumstances."

Dawn, 46, has five grown up children, and says Ian and Lewis had together already picked out her wedding dress.

She said: "Their relationship was growing stronger and stronger every day and we were all looking forward to our wedding.

"Now in the space of less than two months Lewis will have been at both his parents' funerals. That is quite something for a young boy to cope with, but I am determined to ensure he has all the love he needs and the people around here have been so very very kind and supportive."

Dawn says she knew the night Ian died that 'something terrible' had happened when he failed to text her as he did every day to say he was safely at work and about to start the night shift.

"I knew before the police turned up to knock at the door. I loved Ian so much and we were planning the rest of our life together as a family. I'm heartbroken but I have to be strong for Lewis because he needs me," she said.

It was last Thursday night at 9.35pm when Ian's blue Yamaha motorbike was travelling on the A637 Barnsley Road towards Darton when it was involved in a head-on collision with a silver Citroen Xsara Picasso.

The vehicles collided on a sweeping bend near to Bence Lane. The motorbike left the road and ended up down an embankment. Ian suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The 82-year-old car driver, also from Barnsley, is believed to have escaped uninjured.

Police want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the manner of driving prior to the incident or anyone who saw the collision.

Witnesses are to call 101 quoting incident number 1263 of October 17.