Clarence Mitchell: "The deaths have knocked the stuffing out of many people"

Three youths drove off in the car after it was left outside the youth's home in Hampshire by a family friend.

Three people in the minibus died in the head-on collision

Three people in a works minibus died when the Range Rover careered over the central reservation on the A3(M) near Petersfield in Hampshire.

The 14 year old and two other youths have been bailed by police until March.

Minibus driver Peter Mitchell and two women passengers, Doris Hale, 41, and Ann Williamson, 30, both from Portsmouth, died when the Range Rover hit the minibus head-on.

Peter Ford: Devastated

Mr Mitchell's boss, Peter Ford, owner of Strand Motors in Southsea, Portsmouth said: "We are absolutely devastated by his death.

"He was a decent man doing a day's work and he has been killed by pointless stupidity."

He added: "He was doing a route which we do countless times a day - the company makes the round trip up to 28 times every day.

"It is like a milk round, we take staff to a cosmetics factory in the area on a daily basis - only this turned out to be no ordinary journey."

Tragic circumstances

The remaining six passengers in the minibus were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises. The three teenagers were unhurt.

Witnesses said the car went out of control before hitting the minibus, which was taking shift workers to Whitman Laboratories in Petersfield, Hampshire at 1530 GMT on Monday.

David Hunt, general manager of the Estee Lauder-owned firm, said: "The tragic circumstances have affected the whole plant.

"We are all shocked and distressed and our sympathy and support is with the immediate relatives and families."