HE was a much-loved son, a ‘model son’ to his parents.

And today they and the rest of the family were pondering one question: why was Mark Bamford in a stolen car?

Police broke the tragic news to his family in Bradley shortly after the teenager was killed when the Honda Jazz crashed and overturned in Birkby.

Two other young men in the car were hurt. Mark had been a passenger in the vehicle.

The family are today mourning the loss of a brother, uncle and well-respected work colleague.

Mark was due to celebrate his 20th birthday later this month.

Two other men aged 17 and 20 who were also in the vehicle were taken to hospital and treated for “non life threatening” injuries.

Mark’s devastated parents Andrea and Craig are struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss of their youngest child.

Speaking from the family’s terraced home in Oak Road, Bradley, which Mark shared with his mum, dad and grandmother, mum Andrea said: “Mark had a good heart, and would always kiss me and say ‘I love you, mum’ before he went out.

“He never forgot birthdays or Mother’s Day. No-one had a bad word to say about him. They thought the world of him where he worked.

“He was a shy boy, but probably a bit gullible and easily led.

“He always wore his seatbelt and was learning to drive. He would never get behind the wheel of a car without either of us beside him.

“His car is still parked in the drive.

“I don’t want people to think he was a bad boy, because he wasn’t. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Mark was the youngest of four children. He has two brothers Steven, 21, Gary 32, and a sister Julie 34.

He grew up in Bradley and attended Bradley Infants and Nursery and Junior schools, going on to study at All Saints Catholic College.

On leaving school he went straight into work at vehicle component distributors, Andrew Page in Hillhouse Lane, starting in the warehouse and recently being promoted to telesales.

Allan Laud, assistant branch manager at Andrew Page in Hillhouse Lane, said Mark was a very polite and well thought of young man.

“He was a bright young lad, who was going places within this company.

“He had done very well since joining us straight from school and was moving up the career ladder within the company, having recently been promoted to a telesales office job after working his way through the warehouse.

“He was a model son for his parents and we are all devastated by his death,” he said.

Mark loved sport and played football for school and local teams in Bradley.

On the night he died he had gone out with friends to The Thirsty Man pub in Mirfield to watch the World Cup final.

Before he left his mum had reminded him to take his house door keys and told him not to be too late as he had work on Monday morning.

His work clothes, washed and ironed for the new working week, are still hanging in the family living room.

Mrs Bamford, exhausted after caring for her mother, who had been ill, remembers dropping off to sleep after midnight and didn’t hear another sound until the police knocked on the door at 5.30am on Monday morning.

“As soon as I saw them I knew.

“We are totally devastated. You never believe you will lose your child like this,” she added.

An inquest on Mark is due to be opened and adjourned in Bradford today.

West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team are investigating the incident.

A bridesmaid who was seriously injured in a horror smash in Lockwood is still in intensive care in hospital.

The girl, who has not yet been named, broke her back and punctured a lung in the incident on Meltham Road in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The 19-year-old bridesmaid was in the back seat of a taxi on her way home to Holmfirth after her cousin’s wedding.