'Shock and sadness' as camping crash teens remembered at heartbreaking vigil

22 November 2023 , 18:09

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Shrewsbury Abbey where members of the public paid tribute to four teenagers who died on a camping trip (Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Vigils have been held in England and Wales today after four teenagers died in a tragic camping trip crash.

The bodies of sixth form students Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett and Hugo Morris were found in North Wales on Tuesday after a frantic search by authorities and their families. They had been last seen travelling in a silver Ford Fiesta in the Harlech and Porthmadog areas of Gwynedd on Sunday morning.

A small but poignant service of remembrance involving around 50 people was held in the Welsh village of Garreg for the four students on Wednesday morning. People also gathered around 70 miles away across the border in the boys' hometown of Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

A vigil was held in the the Welsh village of Garreg, where a memorial is being considered (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

Rev Roland Barnes, vicar of Penrhyndeudraeth led the service in Garreg, and said it may be fitting for a memorial to be erected in their memory in the future. He told North Wales Live: "It’s a feeling of shock and sadness in the community. You don’t expect anything like this to happen. About 50 residents were at the service."

Flowers and tributes left at the English Bridge campus of Shrewsbury College (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Floral tributes have been left in the Welsh town along with a small photo remembering the teenagers, as one anonymous message said: "With deepest sympathy. I did not know you but I will never forget you. God Bless." Another read: "May God keep you in his care. Sending love and strength to all family and friends. Our thoughts are with you xxxx From the Fletcher family."

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A third person wrote: "We pray for the four fine, young boys so tragically killed here in beautiful Wales. May their spirits soar joyfully in the winds of freedom, floating amongst Moelwyns and Cnicht. Peace eternal. Amen. Condolences to the families from members of Holy Trinity Church, Penrhyndeudraeth and the surrounding areas. God Bless."

A member of the public paid their respects at Shrewsbury Abbey (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Grieving students also laid flowers for the boys at their Shrewsbury College campus, with messages of "love you" and "rest in peace" written on stone stairs. At Shrewsbury Abbey, dozens of students lit candles in the church. Steve Swindon, church administrator, told the BBC he watched as nine boys stood in silence at the altar after laying flowers, saying: "What they are experiencing is hard to contemplate. It doesn't matter if you have a faith, it is about humanity."

The four friends had set out from Shrewsbury to North Wales on Saturday evening. Harvey's mum Crystal Owen told national media that her son did not tell her he was going camping but rather they were staying at a friend's grandfather's house. She said if she'd known she would have warned them against it due to the weather leaving likely treacherous road conditions.

The deaths of the four boys comes only weeks after two other students from the same college died, according to the BBC. Alfie McCormick, 18, took his own life in October and Ben Worrall, 17, was killed in a road accident two days later.

David Powell