TWO people have been arrested in connection with the hit and run crash which killed father-of-three Andy Mundy.

A 20-year-old man from the Dorchester area and a 16-year-old girl from Portland were arrested yesterday.

A blue BMW car – the type of vehicle the police were searching for – has been recovered and is being checked for evidence.

The developments came after a collision on Verne Hill Road, Portland, on Saturday night.

Andrew Jonathan Mundy, 44, of Fortuneswell, was found dead after being hit as he made his way up the hill towards a party in the quarries close to the Verne prison.

An appeal for information was made in the Dorset Echo by Mr Mundy’s family and the police asked for the driver and passenger of a dark blue or black saloon car to come forward.

Mr Mundy’s ex-partner Claire Chapman said the last two days have been the most difficult in her children’s lives and thanked the police and anybody who has come forward with information. She said: “It’s a page that has closed now for us. This has been a huge blow for Ashley, Luke and Jasmine.

“They had hopes for the future with their father and now they’re gone. It’s the biggest blow they’ve had to deal with in their whole lives. It’s been the hardest days of their lives and they’ve not had it great.

“They were the words out of my daughter’s mouth – it’s been the hardest two days.”

Mrs Chapman, who lives on Dorchester Road, wanted to thank Dorset Police.

She said: “I’m grateful for the brilliant job the police have done.

“The family liaison officer has really looked after us. And thank you to the Echo for the appeal.”

Members of the Portland community welcomed the developments in the police investigation.

Tim Munro, who is a member of Weymouth and Portland Borough Councillor and Portland Town Council, said he has been ‘much saddened by the tragic incident’.

He said: “If there are any comforts from it then it’s that the police have acted so quickly.

“It adds to the knowledge that the police are very good and have reacted the way we wanted them to.

“It’s the paramount of anti-social behaviour to knock down somebody and run away. It’s a despicable thing to do. I’m sure if anybody at all on Portland knew who did it they would’ve done the right thing immediately.”

Mr Munro said the Dorset Echo had acted in ‘a great way’ in appealing for information.

He said: “This is one of the occasions that it is invaluable that we’ve got a daily newspaper.

“If we didn’t have a daily newspaper this would not have been so quickly publicised.

“If it was not daily it would have come out later in the week and it would have been too late. It’s benefited the community in a great way by appealing for information.

“We aren’t sure how the police made the arrests but the Dorset Echo definitely brought this to the public’s attention.”

Chas Charlton, a Portland town councillor and landlord at the Clifton, said: “The man could still be alive if the driver who did this had stopped.

“It’s unacceptable and if you’ve done something wrong you should stand up and say it was you.”

At 12.45pm yesterday an inquest was opened and adjourned at the Blandford office of the West Dorset Coroner. Evidence was given that Mr Mundy died at the scene of the collision.