CRAIG'S devastated girlfriend of five years, Karen Atkins (33), broke down in tears as she paid a moving tribute to the man who had become like a surrogate father to her nine-year-old twins.
Karen, who lived with Craig in Warmington, said: "He was charming, witty and fantastic. He was everything to me. He was my world.
"I have got two nine-year-old boy and girl twins, Frankie and Jordan, and he was perfect with them."
The couple met after going out for a meal with mutual friends from the motor-racing world – and last year, after she introduced him to her father, Ben Atkins, he signed him up to his team Reve.
She said: "There was a 10-year age gap between us. A friend said he fancied me, but I didn't believe it. He lied about his age at the beginning. I loved him to bits."
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Karen, who works as a PA at the Woodston-based Vogal Group, owned by her father, told of the agonising decision she and his family had to take to switch off his life-support machine.
She said: "It was such a hard decision. But he was brain dead.
"At least he knew nothing and was in no pain."
Mr Atkins, who oversaw Craig's early career when he raced for his team last year, spoke of the cruel echo of his first and final memories of the ace.
He said: "Karen, Craig and friends all went for a Thai meal in Northampton, which was the first time they met.
"The first time I saw him was the next night when he landed in a helicopter in my garden.
"I saw a glint in their eyes and knew there was something between them.
"It's ironic that the last time I saw him was leaving in the helicopter after the crash."
He added: "Most people knew Craig through racing, but I knew him as a family man.
"He was a lovely person and I had every confidence that he would become world champion.
"He was the most genuine, honest, appreciative person I have ever met in my life.
"We love him and he will be greatly missed. He had so many friends in Peterborough. He was an instantly likeable lad."
A friend who knew Craig said he was devastated by the news.
He said: "He was the nicest bloke you could ever meet.
"He was a genuinely good guy, and we would have a laugh together. He was a cracking lad. I'm gutted."
Craig also leaves two sisters, Cassie (20) and Kirsty (29), and a niece Libby (18 months).
A post-mortem examination is set to take place and arrangements for his funeral, to be held in Peterborough, will be finalised next week.
The full article contains 495 words and appears in Peterborough ET newspaper.
