A GRIEF-STRICKEN pal of car crash victim Daniel Pitchers has described him as "a perfect friend to me and many others".
Mr Pitchers, 24, died when his Vauxhall Astra crashed into a brick wall on Ray Bridge, Ray Lane, close to his Lingfield home in October.
And Natalie Clark, who knew him for?more than 20 years and read a poem at his funeral, has told?how she was left devastated by the news but had vowed to "make him so proud" by undertaking a series of charity events in his name.
“Daniel was my best friend, he was like a brother to me, I’ve known him ever since I can remember, we grew up together from nursery until he was taken away from us,” said Ms Clark, who lives in nearby Blindley Heath.
“There wasn’t a day that went past in the whole 20 years that I did not see Daniel, even if it was a quick ‘hi’ on my way to work or a cheeky drink in the pub after work.
“We spoke every day, I miss not seeing him as I passed his for work or hearing his cheeky voice and lovely smile."
The death of Mr Pitchers, who?was a manager at Richmond Bookmakers in Godstone Road for several years, led to an outpouring of grief with numerous tributes left at the site of the crash.
And Ms Clark, 24, revealed that she still cherished the memories of the childhood they shared.
“We used to get the school bus together to Lingfield Primary School and even our secondary school, Oxted County, and were always in each other’s classes,” she added.
“We have never lived more than 10 minutes away from each other. I have so many memories of Dan.
“My favourite memory was when he accidentally knocked me out with a boomerang when we were six or seven.
“He was everything to me and I would do anything to have him back with us and to erase the pain this has caused, especially for his immediate family and his girlfriend who all love and miss him very much.”
Mr Pitchers was also a keen horseracing fan who was often seen enjoying a flutter at Lingfield Park.
Now family and friends are working to raise ￡2,000 in order?to name a race after him at the course and also to donate a sum towards Helping Adolescents at the Marsden (HAM), a charity that provides support and assistance to young cancer sufferers while they undergo treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.
"I am doing a 160ft bungee jump on November 20 to raise money for a horse race to be named after Daniel at Lingfield Racecourse on December 11, one day after Dan’s 25th birthday, and to raise money for a charity that was very close to Dan’s heart,” said Ms Clark.
“Family and friends are also doing sponsored walks, silences and a camp outside the bookies where he worked to raise money. We need to raise ￡2,000 to make this possible.
“I wanted to do a bungee jump, Dan would love it as he knew how I didn’t like heights and that makes me want to do it even more. I want to make him so proud.”
A spokesman for Lingfield Park confirmed that a race would be renamed the Daniel Pitchers Richmond Steeplechase in his honour, after the cost of running it?was split between his former employers and the course.
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