A MAN from Swindon has been charged with murdering his wife following a crash on the M1 motorway.

Tracy Maria Walters, 48, was the passenger in a black Mitsubishi L200 Animal 4x4 which was travelling on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Leicester on March 21.

At about 12.40pm, the driver, Tracy’s husband Ian, 50, of Tregantle Walk, Nythe, crashed into a tree at the side of the motorway.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

The couple were taken to University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, where Tracy died as a result of her injuries two days later.

Her husband, who suffered serious injuries following the crash, has now been charged with her murder.

On Monday he appeared at Leicester Crown Court and was remanded in custody.

He will next appear in court on June 23.

Following her death, a tribute was posted to Tracy on The Cotswold group website, which is part of Endurance GB, the national body for endurance riding in England and Wales.

Tracy was a Cotswold committee member and produced the group newsletter.

Karen Collier, EGB Chairman, said: “Such terribly sad news – Tracy has been such a supporter of EGB, both as a rider and as a TS.

“Tracy had ambitions to further her competitive career with us and how sad it is that these dreams were not to be realised. Her contributions to EGB have been much valued.”

Following the funeral service, helium filled balloons shaped as horses were released into the sky in Tracy’s memory.