Tributes paid to Falkirk teenager who died after head on collision with lorry on A801

Tributes have been paid to a teenage driver who died after a head on collision with a lorry in Falkirk.

Emergency services were called to the A801 between Bowhouse Roundabout and Avongorge at around 6am on August 7, after a Blue Ford Fiesta travelling northbound and an articulated lorry travelling southbound collided head on.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 19-year-old boy, was pronounced dead at the scene.

He has now been identified as Liam Jones.

Mr Jones was due to enter his second year at college where he was studying to be a joiner, and had just returned from spending five weeks in Turkey the day before the tragedy.

The road was closed for several hours after the incident. Paul Smith

“Liam was an amazing young man full of life and laughter, about to go into his second year of college,” heartbroken mum Jemma Jones said.

“His mother, father, girlfriend, family and friends are devastated at the loss of Liam,” she told STV News.

“He had only returned home on Sunday morning from an amazing summer in Turkey with his girlfriend Cheyne Whigham and her family. He had just celebrated his 19th birthday while In Turkey.”

Family friend Kylie Newton is fundraising to help give him the “send off he deserves”.

A statement posted on the GoFundMe page said: “Liam was a 19-year-old lad with his whole life ahead of him, sadly on Monday, August 7, Liam lost his life in a car accident – which as you can imagine has completely shattered his mum’s life.

“Liam was her entire world, and now along with her unimaginable grief she now has to try and organise her only child’s funeral.

“I’m asking if anyone would like to contribute towards the cost of Liam’s funeral to help his mum give him the send off he deserves.”

The driver of the lorry was uninjured, but police said they were deeply distressed by what had happened.

The road was closed for several hours to allow collision investigators to carry out enquiries at the location.

Sergeant Paul Ewing said: “I would appeal to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have seen either of the vehicles to contact us.

“It is imperative we establish the full circumstances of how a young man died. If anyone has any information or has any dash cam footage which could assist our investigation, please pass it on.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0508 of August 7.