TWO people were killed in separate accidents in Gwent over the weekend.

Landlord Jason Powell, 46, of Blaenavon was killed on Friday night when the motorbike he was riding was in a crash with a car and a van on the B4246 Varteg Road between Blaenavon and Garndiffaith at 5pm.

On Saturday 48-year-old Kevin Thomas from Abergavenny died after his Peugeot 306 crashed through a wooden fence on the Hereford Road near Llantilio Pertholey.

Mr Powell was described as a “wonderful husband, father and grandfather” by his best friend Marc Jones.

On Saturday lunchtime Blaenavon’s Queen Victoria Inn, which Mr Powell ran with his wife Natalie and daughter Nishca, was filled with heartbroken friends who had come to pay their respects to the man affectionately known as ‘Jay’ or ‘Pow.’ Mr Jones said he was devastated by Mr Powell’s death, saying his best friend since childhood was “the most caring and loving person you’d ever meet in your life.” The two, along with their wives and other friends, had recently been on holiday in Lanzarote.

As well as his daughter, Mr Jones said Mr Powell was a doting grandfather to threeyear- old Bailey. Mr Jones said: “I will miss him every day of my life.”

The Argus understands Mr Powell had been for a ride on his beloved motorbike and was returning home to start his shift behind the bar when the crash happened.

Tributes were already being left at the scene of the weekend’s second fatality in memory of Mr Thomas.

He was the only person in the vehicle when it crashed through a wooden fence between 6am and 7am and ended up in a heavily-wooded area at the bottom of Donald and Margaret Gordon’s garden.

The couple saw the damaged fence after leaving their house at 9.30am, but weren’t initially aware of the accident.

The couple drove off, but Mrs Gordon said something in the back of her mind told her to double check. Mr Gordon investigated at 10am and found Mr Thomas’s car which was badly damaged.

They called emergency services, who cordoned off the road and were at the scene until 5pm recovering the vehicle.

Four bunches of flowers were left at the scene yesterday, including a touching tribute from the brother of Mr Thomas. It was from from Gary, Kayla, Jordan and Bailey, calling Mr Thomas “my dearest brother”

and “best mate”.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said it is not believed any other cars were involved in Mr Thomas’ accident but asked for witnesses to both incidents to call 101.