Survivors' tributes to crash boy

Stuart Dines' parents said their son was extremely caring

Fellow pupils have paid tribute to a boy who died when two coaches taking children on skiing trips crashed.

They left flowers and messages at the gates of Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk, where Stuart Dines, 14, of Woodbridge, was a pupil.

Stuart's parents, Robert and Jackie, said he would never be forgotten.

A church service in the town held prayers for the boy and for a coach driver, who also died in Saturday's crash near Cologne in Germany.

Mr and Mrs Dines, who have an older son and daughter, said: "Stuart would always make you laugh, whatever the situation.

"He was a very loyal son and brother, who was extremely caring and could never be replaced.

We prayed for everyone involved in this tragic accident Head teacher Colin Hirst

"He will never be forgotten by anyone who knew him and will remain with us forever."

Thomas Mills head teacher Colin Hirst, who attended the service at St Michael's Church on Sunday morning, said the close-knit community had been hit hard by Stuart's death.

"We said prayers for Stuart and his family, for the school and for the pupils and the teachers.

"We prayed for everyone involved in this tragic accident."

Staff, clergy and specialist counsellors will remain on call during the week-long half term holiday to provide support for distressed pupils.

Lorry jack-knifed

Stuart was among 55 pupils, accompanied by six staff, on the Thomas Mills' coach hit from behind by a lorry carrying sheet metal when it was stationary on the hard shoulder with a puncture.

The lorry jack-knifed towards the central reservation and hit a second British coach carrying 36 pupils plus five staff from the private Norwich School in Norwich.

The relief coach driver who also died, from Norfolk, has not yet been named. A Norfolk County Council spokesman said none of the children on that bus was seriously hurt.

The German authorities said 108 people were involved in the accident and 28 were hurt, four seriously.