Family’s heartbreaking tribute to teenage boy, 17, killed in horror smash after pal drove at 120mph
TRIBUTES are pouring in for a "wonderful" teenager who was killed in a horror smash alongside another young man.
Jake Hankins, 17, was one of the passengers who sat in a car as it flew at speeds of more than 120mph on that tragic night.
Harvey Holehouse, 19, was the driver of the vehicle and was also killed in the two-car smash.
Others were left fighting for their life, and are said to be still recovering from their injuries.
Jake's parents have now paid tribute to their "kind, gentle" boy amid an inquest into his death.
Emergency services raced to Southwell Road, Nottinghamshire, in September last year after reports of a devastating collision.
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They arrived to find horror scenes after the smash killed Jake and Harvey, and injured the two other passengers in their car.
An inquest into Jake's death heard Harvey had been travelling at speeds of more than 120mph leading up to the collision.
reported Jake's family said: "On the night that Jake was taken away from us, he was just out having fun with some friends.
"They had been planning for a charity event that was supposed to take place at the weekend.
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"Jake was a passionate young farmer with his whole life ahead of him, and would have spent his weekend driving families around on a tractor, if he had not been taken from us.
"Jake got into the car of Harvey that night, someone he didn’t know, a friend of a friend, simply accepting the offer of a lift back to his nearby college accommodation.
"He had no idea that a short time later, he would lose his life when the driver of the car lost control at speeds of 120mph.
"Speeds that were, as the coroner concluded, grossly excessive wholly inappropriate for that or any road, in particular in the weather conditions."
The family continued: "Jake was a kind, gentle and considerate young man, just starting to plan out the rest of his life, a life that he will no longer get to lead.
"We will never describe the love we held for Jake in a few lines, or the loss we feel for our son.
"Jake was a wonderful son, brother, nephew and grandson and he will be missed very dearly by so many. We hope that people will take caution away from the tragic way in which Jake lost his life.
"We hope that insurance companies insuring young drivers will take further measures to ensure the safety of young drivers and their unsuspecting passengers whose lives are put in danger by high-speed driving."
Harvey's family also apologised for the pain the crash had caused others, while mourning the loss of their son.
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The loved ones said: "To everyone affected by the accident on the 22nd September 2033 and especially to Jake’s family we are truly sorry.
"We hope the memory of Harvey will not be defined by the events of that night and we hope that Harvey can be remembered for being the life and soul of wherever he went and for the love and kindness that he showed to all that he met."