A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after two young girls were orphaned in a head-on crash that killed their 'utterly devoted' parents.
Robert Bateman, 36, and his 35-year-old wife Paula died when their Ford Focus was in a head-on collision with an Iveco Daily van on the A142 between Chatteris and Mepal in Cambridgeshire.
Their girls, Lexi, 10, and 18-month-old Elizabeth, were also in the car when it crashed just after 8pm on Thursday.
Elizabeth suffered minor injuries while Lexi had serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Both have since been discharged from hospital.
Cambridgeshire Police said that Luke Norton, of Lincoln, Linconshire, has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
The 31-year-old is also charged with one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Norton was charged late on Friday and appeared before Huntingdon Magistrates' Court on Saturday, the force said.
No pleas were entered and he was remanded in custody until a hearing at Peterborough Crown Court on October 2.
In a tribute issued through police, the family of Mr and Mrs Bateman, from Manea in Cambridgeshire, described them as "utterly devoted parents".
"We are utterly devastated by this news," they said.
"Bob and Paula were much-loved friends to many and will be missed by everyone who knew them.
"They were also utterly devoted parents."
