Family pay last respects to tragic crash victim Rhys

Family and friends gathered at St Luke’s Church in Holbeck this afternoon to pay their last respects to 13-year-old Rhys Baker.

Mourners comforted each other as Rhys’s white coffin was carried in to the church ahead of the service.

A large floral tribute spelled out Bruntcliffe School pupil Rhy’s name in yellow flowers while two other tributes spelled out ‘son’ and ‘brother’ in white blooms.

Inquest openings in Wakefield last week heard Rhys, of Nineveh Gardens, Holbeck, and 14-year-old George Wharton, were rear seat passengers in a Peugeot 206 on the A62 Gelderd Road in Morley on Saturday, March 7, when the incident happened.

The inquest openings were told the car they were in span off the road and crashed into a tree after the driver tried to overtake another vehicle “at speed.”

The driver, understood to be 21-year-old Tom McMeekin, lost control at a slight bend in the road at about 1.50pm.

Morley Academy pupil George, of Harwill Rise, Churwell, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rhys was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but died shortly before 7pm the same day.

Mr McMeekin and two other young passengers, 14-year-old Kameron Walters, and 15-year-old Joshua Van Veen, remain in hospital after suffering serious injuries.Service