Tributes have been paid to an off-duty police officer killed afterhis car was was travelling in collided head-on with a lorry.

Inspector John Woods, 42, died almost instantly when his car was involved in the collision on a busy Ayrshire road.

Friends told how the highly regarded officer's three young children have been left devastated by the tragedy.

Mr Woods, a Glasgow University graduate from Elderslie, Renfrewshire, was described as a "lovely man" and a devoted father.

The Glasgow-born officer, who worked out of the force's Helen Street control room in Govan, was travelling on the A736 at Lugton at around 2pm on Tuesday when his Kia car was involved in a crash with the lorry.

Police said the 54-year-old lorry driver was not injured and investigations are continuing.

One friend, from his hometown of Irvine, in Ayrshire, said: "John was a great, big guy, none of us can believe what's happened.

"He was a lovely man, always has been. He was devoted to his three boys.

"Everyone is just devastated."

John's role in the emergency response centre at Helen Street saw him deploy officers in response to 999 calls.

In a statement, his family said: "John was highly respected by all his colleagues and will be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him."

John later attended John Galt Primary School and Irvine Royal Academy before going to Glasgow University where he graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in French, German, History and Politics.

After gaining a teaching diploma at Jordanhill College he taught as a supply teacher in various Ayrshire schools before changing career and joining the former Strathclyde force in 1996.

Mr Woods worked at stations across Glasgow and the West, including Barrhead, Aikenhead Road and in Pitt Street, where he was promoted to the rank of inspector.

Another friend added: "I have known John since he was a wee boy and I cannot take it in that this has happened.

"Thinking of his dad, brother and sister, and all other family members."

Ice hockey fanatic Mr Woods is understood to have grown up in Irvine before moving to Renfrewshire.

Officials at the Scottish Police Federation said his sudden death was "devastating" and offered condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Many of his colleagues changed their social media profile pictures to the iconic thin blue line on a black background, as a mark of respect.

One wrote: "We'll all miss your cheeky smile."

Police Scotland confirmed that Mr Woods was a serving officer and was not on duty.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "The deceased can be named as John Woods. John was a father to three children and we can confirm he was a serving police officer."