A SPATE of road accidents over the Christmas period left two people dead and several others injured. Grandmother Irene Jorge died after a crash in Hatfield Road, St Albans, near the Smallford roundabout on Boxing Day afternoon and two people were injured

A SPATE of road accidents over the Christmas period left two people dead and several others injured.

Grandmother Irene Jorge died after a crash in Hatfield Road, St Albans, near the Smallford roundabout on Boxing Day afternoon and two people were injured earlier in the day after a three-car collision on the A1081 Harpenden Road.

On Christmas Day evening two people had to be cut free from a car which overturned in Batchwood Drive, St Albans, and police named the man who died in an accident on the M25 motorway on December 19 as Stephen Greaves who came from St Albans.

The family of Irene Jorge, aged 66, who lived in the Jersey Farm area of St Albans, paid tribute to her following the accident in which she died at around 1.30pm on December 26.

She was a passenger in a Vauxhall Corsa which was involved in a collision with a Nissan 350Z sports car travelling towards St Albans. Police arrested the driver of the Nissan, a 31-year-old man from Hatfield, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Irene had been married to Antonio for more than 40 years and had two children, David and Samantha, and four grandchildren.

She grew up in Madeira but moved to England around 40 years ago, settling at first in Hampshire where she worked as cook to the managing director of Arsenal FC.

She then moved to London Colney where she was an auxiliary nurse at Shenley Hospital for 22 years before working part-time as a cleaner at Sandringham School and caring for her husband.

Her son David said: "Mum was such a bubbly person who cared so much about people. She had different remedies for every ailment. She would always say if you're not well then you're not eating enough. She always wanted you to eat."

Daughter Samantha described her mother as, "always rushing around, worrying about everyone". She added: "Mum loved being with people and she was so well liked and people will always remember her." A Cliff Richard fan, Irene liked to see him in concerts and collected related paraphernalia - including a purse with his face on. She was also a gardener who was very green-fingered and enjoyed spending time on her allotment.

Both of her children described her as, "a lovely mother, the head of our family" who would be missed greatly.

The family of Stephen Greaves, aged 49, who died in the accident between Junction 24 Potters Bar and Junction 23 South Mimms on the anti-clockwise carriageway at about 7pm on Wednesday, December 19, also paid tribute to him.

The father of two was driving a red Ford Focus which collided with the central reservation for reasons which are not yet known. He died at the scene.

One of nine children, he grew up in St Albans and went to Marshalswick Boys' School. He went on to work for Barnet and later Haringey Council where he stayed for 27 years, looking after the borough's housing stock as an operational surveying manager. His wife Alison said: "Stephen always knew the right thing to say. He was open, non-judgemental and didn't expect anything from anyone. He had a very positive energy and made people feel better about themselves."

A keen football fan who loved watching and playing, he had life membership of Spurs and was actively involved in supporting London Colney Colts.

Alison added: "Stephen loved to celebrate. His friends used to call him 'max-a-million' as he would always be popping champagne. He was very generous.

"Stephen loved life. He knew who he was and what he wanted from life. He was a family man and a loving son and father. He wore his heart on his sleeve and wasn't afraid to let his feelings be known.