THE HEARTBROKEN father and stepmother of a 20-year-old man who died in a road crash in Wiltshire have paid tribute to him.

Ryan Nelson, who spent most of his life in Bordon, was one of three passengers in a Volkswagen Polo that left the A4 at Derry Hill, struck a house and caught fire on August 16 last year.

All the passengers – Ryan, Matthew Parke and Corey Owen – died alongside driver Jordan Rawlings, despite the efforts of the occupants of the house, a passing taxi driver and police to save them. They were heading home to Calne from Chippenham.

An inquest at Wiltshire Coroner’s Court on July 13 heard Ryan and Matthew died of suffocation in the fire while Corey died of a head injury in the crash. A separate inquest the following week heard that Jordan – who was speeding and driving above the legal alcohol limit – also died of a head

injury.

Ryan was born on January 31, 2000, at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, and was christened at St George’s Garrison Church in Bordon.

He attended Bordon Garrison Pre-School and Creche, Bordon Infant School, Bordon Junior School, Mill Chase Academy and Alton College. After finishing his studies at Alton College he moved to Calne to live with his mother.

Ryan was brought up in Bordon by his father Micky and loved football, playing for the Wey Valley Warriors and Headley. Aldershot Town supporter Micky took him to watch his first Aldershot match aged two-and-a-half and he also became an avid fan of the Shots, being the mascot for their home game with Rotherham United in 2010.

Micky said: “I’m at a loss for words, I can’t believe you have been taken away from me. I am going to miss you so much and the KFC before the footie will never be the same again. I love you son, you will always be with me.

“I had many proud moments as a dad with Ryan – from dropping him off for his first day at pre-school and watching him play football for both junior and senior schools, to watching him arrive at his school prom night where I was overflowing with love and affection at the grown-up young man that he had become.”

Stepmother Karin, who married Micky in 2010 and has two children, said: “I have so many memories that I am glad I have and so many memories that I am sad I will never have.”