Kiveton Park crash: Grandfather of victim, 19, who died alongside two other teenagers pays tribute to him at scene

Peter Hall laid flowers at the scene in Rotherham in tribute to his grandson Mason Hall, who he said had only celebrated his 19th birthday a few days ago.

Police were called at 6.10pm on Sunday after the crash involving a white Ford Fiesta, which was travelling along Kiveton Lane, close to the Todwick Court junction in Kiveton Park.

The three men inside - two 19-year-olds and an 18-year-old - were pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said.

Mr Hall said his grandson came to see him last week and told him: “I don’t come to see you that often, grandad, but I do love you.”

Mr Hall added: “I don’t know what to say. It was his birthday last week. He was 19. And that was it. The end of it.

“It’s hard to swallow. Death’s only just two minutes away for anybody.”

Mr Hall, from the village of Wales Bar, said his family were heartbroken.

He added: “He was a good lad. Six foot odd, a giant of a lad. Fit as a fiddle. We met him on Thursday - me and his nanan - to give him his birthday present.

“His last words to be me were, ‘I don’t come to see you that often, grandad, but I do love you’. It’s hard.”

Mr Hall said his grandson was from Woodhouse in Sheffield, and his friends who died were from Kiveton Park and Swallownest.

Friends and relatives of the three gathered around the tree to lay flowers on Monday morning.

One message said: “Such a nice lad who had so much to live for. Our thoughts are with you and your family.”

Another said: “It was a privilege to have worked with you and known you over the years. You were always so respectful and made time for others.”

Local councillor Dominic Beck said at the scene: “It’s just terrible and devastating to hear of the tragic loss of life of three young people. The whole community’s prayers, thoughts and love are with the families.”

The wreckage of the vehicle had been removed by daybreak on Monday and police had left the area, but there was clear damage to the bark of the tree and part of a low wall nearby had been demolished.

The crash happened on a short 40mph stretch of country road between the villages of Kiveton Park and Todwick.

Detectives are appealing to the public for information.

The tragedy comes just three days after a family killed in a horror crash in August were laid to rest at Rotherham Minster.

Shirley Hunt, 44, and her children Oscar, five, and Ellie, nine died when their motorhome struck a parked HGV on the A64 between York and Scarborough. Her husband Craig and their son Brooklyn, six, survived.