A grieving family have been left heartbroken after floral tributes to their son who died in an accident were removed and a brash and uncaring note was left in their place.

Jack Burmingham, from Rainham, was just 17 when he was killed in a car crash on the A2 in Newington in May.

He was a passenger in a truck which hit a parked car and ended up in a front garden. He died at the scene.

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Since his death, his parents Mark and Kerry have been visiting the crash site every Thursday to lay flowers and pay tribute to their son, who went to The Howard School.

But one of the last times the family and friends left flowers at the scene, the next day they had been removed and a note had been pinned to the lamppost which read: “No more flowers. This is not a shrine, these are people’s homes”.

His father, Mark, of Plomley Close, said his family have been hurt by the message.

He said: “We’ve been going down every week since the accident and it has gone down to a few bouquets by the lamppost and we’d had no complaints but his best friend Corby and cousin Jessica went to lay tributes and the next day they’d gone.

“His best friend, who’s only 18, had bought the biggest bouquet he could afford and went with Jack’s cousin, and it was the first time she’d been down there since it happened.”

Mr Burmingham said the family never wanted to hurt people’s feelings adding: “No one’s approached us and we do take everyone’s feelings into account.

"I mean the accident has affected us but it happened on their doorsteps.

“Our problem is this was done in such an insensitive way.”

On what would have been Jack’s 18th birthday his family and friends placed flowers next to the busy road and tied balloons to a lamppost.

"It's just the brash, uncaring and detached way this was done" - Mark Burmingham

Thousands of pounds was raised online for his family in the days after he died, with many leaving tributes to the funny, popular young man.

His parents are working with residents and the parish council to find a more permanent way of remembering their son.

The 44-year-old added: “They all support us so this really was shocking.

“It’s just the brash, uncaring and detached way this was done.

“It’s only been five months since the accident and that’s no time at all.”

The family hope whoever left the note will come forward to speak to them about it.