A MOTHER, her soldier son and his fiancee were killed when their car collided with a mechanical digger in Moray.

Mrs Rosemary Flett, 56, from Elgin, her son Bruce Flett jnr, 35, a Queen's Own Highlander, and his 29-year-old Californian girlfriend Miss Heather Barrett, died.

Driver Mr Bruce Flett snr, 58, survived the crash near Keith, but suffered multiple injuries. He was stable in hospital last night with chest and leg injuries and was being comforted by relatives. The digger driver, farmer William Milne, 54, from Keith, was treated for shock but escaped uninjured.

The family group had been returning home after a Christmas shopping expedition to Aberdeen when the accident happened late on Saturday afternoon on the Keith-Huntly section of the A96 Aberdeen-Elgin road, at the junction of the B9115 Drummuir road.

It is thought the digger driver had slowed to turn off the main road when the car crashed into it from behind, ripping off its bucket arm.

Mr Bruce Flett Jnr was understood to be on leave from the 1st Batallion The Highlanders from their North Yorkshire base. An Army spokesman said the deaths of the soldier, his mother and his fiancee were ''absolutely tragic''.

Firefighters called to the scene found the three passengers of the Vauxhall car already dead but managed to save the driver.

Grampian Fire Brigade assistant divisional officer Pete Allison said: ''There was considerable damage to the car, all four occupants were trapped and three were fatal - the only one alive was the driver so all efforts were concentrated on him. He was conscious but quiet throughout which was not pleasant for him due to snow and wind. We got him out as fast as we could, it took around an hour but I lost track of time.''

Digger driver Mr Milne declined to comment last night. Police, who investigated the crash scene yesterday, appealed for witnesses.

Mr Flett Jnr was the eldest of four brothers and last night Farquhar, 32, Alan, 29, and John, 28, were comforting each other It was their brother's fiancee's first visit to the family home and they had been in Aberdeen buying Christmas and engagement presents.

The couple had planned to marry in May after meeting at the start of the year and getting engaged three months ago. They met when Mr Bruce Flett Jnr, who had been in the Army for 13 years, was on exercise in America.

q A motorist and an elderly pedestrian died after separate road accidents in Edinburgh at the weekend.

A woman driver was killed when her car was in collision with a mobile crane in Sir Harry Lauder Road, near its junction with Baileyfield Road, Portobello, on Saturday night. Relatives have requested police not to release details about the woman.

The pensioner was crossing Queen Street near to its junction with North Castle Street, in the city centre on Friday night when he was struck by a car travelling eastwards. The 84-year-old was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he later died. Police have yet to release details of the deceased.