A COMMUNITY is in mourning after a 21-year-old man died in a car crash at the weekend.

The accident that killed Sammy Parker happened at 2am on Saturday in Luton Road, Chatham, where a Mitsubishi Shogun and a blue Peugeot 106 crashed near the junction of Connaught Road.

Fire crews from Medway fire station were first on the scene near the Turkish Delight kebab shop. A firefighter who attended the accident, but who asked not to be named, said they quickly realised the passenger in the front of the Peugeot was badly injured.

Clearly shaken by the ordeal, he said: "We knew the passenger was the worst one and we pulled him out. We tried to resuscitate him until the ambulance arrived and we then continued to help the ambulance crews."

Sadly, they were unable to save him.

There were five people travelling in the Peugeot and all were hurt in the crash. The driver sustained leg injuries and the back-seat passengers were also injured. The driver of the Mitsubishi suffered shock and whiplash in the crash.

MR Parker is believed to have been from the Chatham area and by Saturday afternoon about 100 floral tributes had appeared on the pavement at the junction of Connaught Road and Luton Road.

A large group of teenagers and adults had gathered there to read the tributes. Friends continued to visit on Sunday and add to the growing number of flowers and cuddly toys left in Sammy’s memory.

One, who asked not to be named, said: "He was just a great guy."