Roadside crash tributes disappear

Flowers and other tributes left at the scene of a road accident where two Derbyshire men died have disappeared.

Tim Rice and Lee Matthews, both 28, died when their car hit a tree at Blackbrook near Belper in October 2005.

Family and friends have visited the spot to leave messages and items by the roadside. They said they have been left devastated by the disappearance.

The men's families contacted Derbyshire police and Amber Valley Borough Council, but neither removed the items.

It's like desecrating a grave really Liz Rice, mother

Mr Rice's mother, Liz Rice said: "He was my only child. I was absolutely devastated when I came up here and found everything had gone."

"We'd all left flowers and my son had a son who was two years old and he'd left little teddy bears and the other children had as well.

"It was solid with tributes, messages from all their friends and the children. Lee's girlfriend used to come here all the time."

As well as tributes the family also left items from the car which crashed, such as cigarette packets, at the scene.

"It's like desecrating a grave really - this is where they last were," Ms Rice added.