Tributes to tragic pair continue to flood in

By Steve Hayes 17/01 Updated: 18/01 13:18

Buy photos » Tributes have flooded in for Mikey Abdou (left) and Mike Dugmore (right) (s)

TRIBUTES continue to flood in for two friends killed in a horror crash between their car and an open top tourist bus near Stratford.

Floral tributes line Featherbed Lane, in Pathlow, where Mikey Abdou and Mike Dugmore were killed in the crash, at around 3.15pm, on Saturday (January 14).

A convoy of hundreds of cars drove to the crash site to hold a lantern-lit vigil on Sunday (January 15) to remember the men, in an outpouring of grief.

And friends and family this week paid tribute to the popular pair and described the news as 'heartbreaking' as more than 2,700 people joined a group in memory of them on Facebook.

The Ford Fiesta 19-year-old Mr Abdou was driving was involved in the smash with a sight-seeing Stagecoach bus touring the area, killing him and his 21-year-old passenger Dugmore, and injuring three people on the bus.

Medics and the air ambulance attended but nothing could be done to save the pair, who were both confirmed dead at the scene.

One touching tribute left at the scene said: "You have touched so many people's lives. Such a kind talented young man taken away too soon. Everyone will miss you - hope you will be watching over us all and we will all do you proud."

Online tributes described their deaths as 'heartbreaking' and 'devastating', while another said: "You were both so young and had more life in you to come."

And a host of tributes paid on Twitter included one from Birmingham City and England footballer, Nathan Redmond, who tweeted: "Condolences and thoughts go out to the family of Mikey Abdou who lost his life in a car accident #withgodherests."

The bus driver, a man in his 50s, suffered a fractured leg and two others who were on the bus were also injured - a man in his 50s suffered a cut to his head and a woman suffered a broken ankle.

Spokesperson for Stagecoach, Adam Rideout, confirmed the bus driver has now been released from hospital.

He said: "Our thoughts are obviously with the individuals and families involved in this tragic event.

"Safety is our absolute priority and we are assisting the police with their inquiries in whatever way we can as well as carrying out our own investigation into the incident."