Boy killed in crash days after prom

A TEENAGE boy was killed in a crash on his way home from work less than a week after starting his first full-time job.

Rhys Wilkinson, 16, was a passenger in a red Fiat Punto involved in a head-on crash on the A645 Drax Link Road close to Rawcliffe.

Just two weeks ago, Rhys and two friends had arrived by helicopter for his high school prom before leaving to start his first job. Police are investigating the cause of the accident involving the Punto and a grey Ford Focus C-Max.

Rhys, who had three younger brothers, was pronounced dead at the scene just after the crash at about 6.20pm on Friday.

Mum Lianne, 37, said: "He'd just had his prom from school and he'd really enjoyed it. He was due to start his apprenticeship as a mechanic in September but they had asked him to start work early. Everything was just perfect, really, before this."

Standing in front of the family home is a Renault 5 Rhys had been in the process of fixing up, ready for the day he passed his test.

After finishing school a week ago, he had started work at Wilco Motosave in Selby.

Rhys had always been a hard worker, doing a newspaper round from the age of 13 and, later, collecting glasses at the Ferry Boat pub.

Dad Richard, who also works for Wilco but is based in York, said: "He needed money for his car project.

"He was always working on things, fiddling with them. He used to strip down everything.

"He was a real hard worker."

Yesterday, his friends gathered at the family home in Cotswold Avenue, Goole, to support his family.

Rhys's brothers Kyle, 14, Luke, ten, and Ryan, seven, were being looked after by their grandparents yesterday while Richard and Lianne spent time with their eldest son's friends.

Most of the teenagers gathered at the family home were Rhys's rugby teammates from Goole RUFC and friends from Goole High School.

Many placed flowers outside the family's garden shed, which Rhys had converted into a gym.

Jordan Munday, 16, who was with Rhys when they arrived in the helicopter for their prom, said: "He was always working towards something and keeping busy.

"He'd got so many talents. As well as sport, he was a brilliant artist."

Josh Wolfenden, also 16, said: "He could sort out most things. He could just make anyone laugh.

"He was always working but he found a way to make everything enjoyable."

Danuta Tomasz, headteacher at Goole High School, said: "We are all still in shock at the news.

"It was only a couple of weeks ago that he was having his photo taken for the prom.

"He was one of those students that got on with everyone. He was popular and well liked and had so much going for him. I think we are all still coming to terms with what has happened.

"We're a small and close community at Goole High and we are going to be doing our best to support our students as they deal with this sudden and tragic death.

"Our thoughts go to Rhys's family."

POLICE are investigating the cause of the accident that claimed Rhys's life.

They are particularly keen to trace the driver of a small white car that was travelling in front of the Fiat immediately before the collision.

The Punto was travelling from the direction of Drax towards the roundabout in Rawcliffe Road when it was involved in the collision with the Ford Focus, travelling in the opposite direction, at about 6.20pm on Friday night.

The driver of the Punto, a 25-year-old Goole man, was taken to Leeds Royal Infirmary with serious injuries.

The driver of the Ford Focus, a 40-year-old local man and his six-year-old son, who was travelling in the front passenger seat, were both taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Witnesses should call 101, quoting log 633 of July 12.