MYSTERY OF BOYS' LAST TRAGIC DRIVE

MYSTERY surrounds the final moments leading up to a head-on car crash which killed teenagers Peter Hutt and James Monforte, police told an inquest.

Friends Peter, 17, and James, 15, both of Stokenchurch, died instantly in the smash on the notorious B482 Marlow Road, near Cadmore End, on November 17 last year.

The crash involved a Ford Fiesta, driven by Peter, and a Volvo 850, driven by Adrian Yates, of Dorridge, near Solihull, Birmingham.

Mr Yates, who was badly injured in the accident, told the inquest, held on Thursday, that he had no recollection of what had happened.

Accident investigator PC David Valsler, of Thames Valley Police, said although evidence suggests that the Ford Fiesta was two thirds across the wrong side of the road at the point of impact, he could not say why.

He told the inquest: "I was unable to find any reason for the Ford Fiesta to have been on the other side of that road."

Peter, of Jubilee Road, and James, of Slade Road, were on their way to Marlow Youth Club from Stokenchurch, when the accident happened at 6.40pm. Mr Yates was travelling in the opposite direction, towards the M40.

After the inquest Peter's dad Den Hutt, 45, wept as he told how he had persuaded his son not to buy a motorbike because he thought a car would be safer. He said: "The irony is we bribed him not to have a motorbike, which he wanted, because we said it was too dangerous."

Peter's mum Susan Hutt, 44, sobbed: "He was such a good boy, he was our only baby."

James' foster parents Brian and Janice Elson said they are still coming to terms with his death. Mr Elson, 54, said: "We get good days and bad days. There is no-one to say what actually happened - but the road was not to blame. It's a straight piece of road. There is no real reason for it."

Mrs Elson, 50, said: "We have no axe to grind. Peter was such a safe little driver. He was very steady - it just doesn't add up."

Bucks coroner Richard Hulett recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: "In this case there is not actually a surviving witness who was there. In this case if one or other vehicle has gone to its off-side it has not done so because of high speed. The speeds that are talked of here are 45 to 60mph.

"The road is undulating but fairly straight. There could be any number of reasons why a vehicle could go over to the middle. There is usually a moment's lack of attention or disturbance from such things as adjusting radios or animals in the road."

He added that Peter and James were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and there was no alcohol involved.

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