The father of a Shropshire teenager killed in a road smash has paid tribute to his son after the driver of the car he was a passenger in was found guilty of causing his death by dangerous driving.

Jonathan Humphreys, 17, of Baschurch, died on January 30 last year when the Vauxhall Corsa he was travelling in collided with another car in Huffley Lane, near Bomere Heath, near Shrewsbury.

The driver of the Corsa, 19-year-old Kirsty Williams, was yesterday found guilty, following a trial, of death by dangerous driving. She will be sentenced at a later date.

Jonathan’s father Mark followed the trial and said he hoped other young drivers would learn from the case.

He also spoke of how close he was to his son. He said: “He was always my little lad. Whatever I did, he did, wherever I went, he was there and whatever I had, he had.

“We had a wonderful time together, we weren’t father and son, we were best mates sharing a house together.”

He added: “He was a wonderful son. Even just before the accident he would come and give me a hug every night and tell me he loved me.”

He went on: “I go down to his grave every day and light two candles, one for me and one for his friends. There have been 21,000 visits on his Bebo page from his friends and they still leave messages. He had helped so many of his friends, when they were bullied or in trouble, and I didn’t realise until I read all of the messages on the Bebo page.”

Friends of Williams and Jonathan who were also in the car at the time of the accident gave evidence at the trial.

Mr Humphreys said he hoped that they could now move on from the accident.