A TEENAGER was killed when his car left a quiet country road and collided with a tree six days after passing his driving test.
Sam Gattens, 17, died when his red Vauxhall Corsa overturned on the B6341 near Lion Bridge, just outside Alnwick, Northumberland, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The young golfing prodigy, from the Highfield Park area of the town, was driving with three friends, who all escaped serious injury.
Struggling to contain their grief, Sam’s parents Michael and Catherine last night described the Duchess’s High School student as "the son every family would wish for".
Mrs Gattens, 49, a ward manager at Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington, said: "Sam was the most wonderful son anybody could ever want. The whole family adored him.
"His death has devastated us. We can’t bear to imagine life without him.
"His brothers are inconsolable, as we are. Sam was an honest, caring lad and he didn’t deserve to die so young."
Police are still investigating the cause of the accident, which happened shortly before 2am close the viewpoint car park overlooking Alnwick Castle.
Mr Gattens, 56, a transport industry worker, paid tribute to his middle son, and told of his anguish at losing another loved one to the roads. "Sam loved everything about cars and he was itching to get his licence as soon as he could," he said.
"He saved up for a year to buy his own car and it was his pride and joy.
"He only passed his test last Monday. It’s so cruel. We’ll miss him terribly. It brings things back because my brother died in road accident when he was 19. It’s unbearable to have to go through this again. We will struggle to get over it."
