Remembering the "Gentle Giant".

Antonia Browne, 14, Michael Gallagher, 16, and Tom Hughes, 15, were killed when their Honda Civic crashed after leaving the A630 between Conisbrough and Warmsworth, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, at around 4.30am on Sunday morning.

None was old enough to drive.

The impact was so severe that the silver hatchback, which belonged to a relative of one of the teenagers, split in two.

Today, two of the families involved issued statements through South Yorkshire Police.

Tom's family said: "Tom was a gentle giant, he always put others first.

"We can't believe he has gone from our lives.

"Tom was a keen sportsman, winning many trophies.

"He never brought us any problems, and was the model son.

"You could not wish to meet a better person, we are all totally devastated."

Antonia's family said: "Antonia was beautiful on the inside as well as the outside and she was caring towards her sisters and us.

"She had a passion for music and was doing very well at school.

"She was always happy and made everyone around her happy.

"It goes without saying that we are all going to miss her."

Michael, who had been driving, was cut free from the front of the car and Antonia and Tom were released from the rear passenger seat.

They were taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary, where they were pronounced dead.

Antonia and Michael were pupils at McAuley Catholic High School in Doncaster.

Yesterday, headteacher Paul Gray said: "Both students were very popular and the Catholic community, including both their primary and secondary schools, has been really shaken by their untimely loss."

Mr Gray said Michael was thought of as an "old head on young shoulders" by his close friends and said he was a "bright student with bright prospects".

He said Antonia was as "a beautiful person, full of smiles".

Mr Gray added: "The most prominent picture of Antonia in most people's eyes was her infectious smile. May she rest in peace."

Pippa Dodgshon, headteacher at Hall Cross School in Doncaster, where Tom was a pupil, said: "The whole school is shattered by this tragic news."

She said: "Tom was a really wonderful, lovely young man. He was really positive in his approach to everything in school and greatly contributed to school life.

"He was a very gifted sportsman and was a thoroughly lovely young man. He was clever and had a great academic future ahead of him."

South Yorkshire Police have appealed for witnesses and are studying CCTV and data from roadside automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems to investigate the cause of the crash.

Today, a force spokesman said: "Police are still appealing for sightings of the silver Honda Civic Inspire that was involved in the crash.

"Officers are keen to speak to people who may have seen the Honda, registration number YH53 EBF, from 8pm on Saturday January 29 to 4.30am on Sunday January 30 in the Balby, Warmsworth and Conisbrough areas of Doncaster."

The crash happened a month after two 17-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl were killed in a head-on smash just a few miles from the scene of Sunday's incident.

The three teenagers died on December 27 when the Vauxhall Corsa they were in hit a Volkswagen Golf as they tried to overtake another car on Adwick Road, near Mexborough, South Yorkshire.

Best friends Jonathan Scott, from Conisbrough, South Yorkshire, and Robert Tepper, from Mexborough, died as a result of the crash, along with a 16-year-old girl who has not been named by police.

A 19-year-old and an 18-year-old, who were driving other cars on the road at the time, were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but later bailed pending further inquiries.