A north Shropshire man killed in a road accident this week has been named by Wolverhampton police as 35-year-old Stuart Varden, from the Market Drayton area.

Mr Varden died after a car being driven by his teenage nephew ploughed into a tree in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, on Thursday. The silver Peugeot 306 lost control on Planetary Road, near the Planetary Industrial Estate, shortly before 5pm.

Mr Varden was pronounced dead at the scene, but his nephew, 17, escaped unharmed.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, but later released on bail. It is believed he had recently passed his driving test.Planetary Road was sealed off at its junction with Wednesfield Way for several hours after the smash.

Acting Inspector Paul Richards, of Low Hill Police, said the young driver, from the Wednesfield area, had been travelling along Planetary Road from the direction of Wednesfield Way.

He said: “At some point, he’s left the carriageway and struck a tree and a lamppost.

“The resulting damage to the vehicle has caused injuries to the front passenger and he’s died.”

Murray MacGregor, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said an ambulance and three other emergency medical vehicles responded to the incident, but were unable to save Mr Varden. He said the dead man had suffered “very severe” injuries.

Ambulance staff worked on the victim as firefighters tried to free him from the wreckage, but he was confirmed dead at the scene.

Mr MacGregor said: “The (other) man was not injured and did not need to go to hospital.”

Acting Inspector Richards today renewed an appeal for anyone who had seen the car in the moments before the crash to contact him on 0845 1135000.

By Abigail Bates

Post your tributes in the form below