A man whose wife and three children died in a horrific car crash last week has spoken for the first time about the “abundance of loss” he is feeling.

Josh Powell survived the crash on the A40 near Oxford but his wife Zoe, 29, and children Phoebe, 8, Simeon, 6, and Amelia, 4, all died.

The couple’s youngest daughter, 18-month-old Penny, survived.

In a statement released by police, Mr Powell said: “Before the adventure of starting a family nobody truly knows what to expect.

“All of life’s preconceptions and what we see in the world around us meant that life as a family man was so much better than I expected it to be.

“I had been blessed with four wonderful children, whose thirst for life and hunger of adventure kept me busy but in the best possible way.

“As I look to an uncertain future, I reflect on the fun that we had as a family, with feelings of sadness that it was cut so short.”

The accident happened just months after a fire broke out at the family’s Chinnor home in south Oxfordshire and they were forced to stay in temporary accommodation.

The widower described his wife, who blogged about their family life, as a “dreamer with a head spinning of new things to do or tales to tell”.

He said the couple were “as different as we were alike” but “made a great partnership to raise a family”.

Paying tribute to his first daughter, Phoebe, Mr Powell said she was the “model of her mother” and described how he would often “adventure and explore the world” with her.

“She was clever and able to make great jumps of imagination – her great creations in Lego are testament to this,” he said.

Six-year-old Simeon was a “keen sportsman” and had been due to play in his first football match this week.

“Simeon was just like his father, with a mischievous sense of humour and desire to know more of the world,” Mr Powell said.

“He shared the kind heart of his sisters and wouldn’t be happier than when he knew that everyone was okay.”

He described four-year-old Amelia as “kind and spirited” and said her tenderness and thoughtfulness were “much more advanced than her years”.

“Her ability to dance and express herself was a true blessing, with an abundance of self-confidence,” he said.

Ending his tribute, Mr Powell thanked those who had “rushed to put their arms around us to support me and Penny”.

“Now we have the time to readjust and grieve, this is the challenge of the abundance of loss we feel as a family,” he said.

More than £100,000 has been raised so far by a JustGiving page set up to support Mr Powell and his daughter.

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