Snowdonia: Teenager found dead alongside three friends dreamt of opening bakery like his mother
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A 17-year-old boy who died with his friends on a camping trip to Snowdonia dreamt of becoming a baker like his mother.
Harvey Owen died along with Jevon Hirst, 16, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, all from Shrewsbury, when their silver Ford Fiesta crashed on the winding A4085 country road at Garreg in north Wales.
The sixth form student had worked his last shift in the kitchen of Dough & Oil on Thursday, the day before they departed. Paying tribute, the Shrewsbury sourdough pizzeria said: “He gave it his all, developing a passion for dough and had dreams of one day opening his own bakery.”
He would have followed in the footsteps of his mother Crystal Owen, who ran the Crystal’s Cupcakes bakery, and said she was “living in a nightmare” from which she cannot wake.
Police divers arrived at the crash scene on Wednesday afternoon and “detailed searches” are continuing.
06:17 PM GMT
This live blog is now closed
We are finishing our live updates here.
Scroll down for further tributes to the four teenagers killed in the Snowdonia tragedy.
06:15 PM GMT
Young and old flock to remember the teenagers
On Wednesday, several churches in Shrewsbury, including the town’s 14th Century abbey, welcomed the young and old to their doors, with locals carrying flowers and lighting candles to pay their respects to Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17 and Hugo Morris, 18.
“We opened a little early, at 8.50am and we’ve had roughly 50 people an hour since then - it hasn’t really stopped,” said Steve Swinden, the abbey’s parish administrator
“Seeing all of these young lads carrying these big bunches of flowers, laying them on the floor and lighting a candle - it’s quite moving actually.”
He added: “It’s similar to when the Queen died. They come in silence and nobody says anything - nobody needs to say anything, they know why they are here and this is the least we can do.”
05:52 PM GMT
In pictures: Road the boys took still cordoned off
05:46 PM GMT
In Shrewsbury, desperate hope turned to tragedy
In the teenagers’ hometown of Shrewsbury several churches are open for prayer and reflection.
The area’s MP Daniel Kawczynski said: “On behalf of all constituents in Shrewsbury and surrounding villages, I would like to extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families and friends who have been tragically affected by this terrible loss of life.
“The whole country were desperately hoping Jevon, Harvey, Wilf, and Hugo would be found safe and well and this news is devastating.
“This news is truly heartbreaking, and my thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragic news.”
05:45 PM GMT
Tributes to Wilf Fitchett: 'I am going to enjoy life the way you would've wanted'
Maddi Corfield, the girlfriend of Wilf Fitchett, posted a tribute online, writing: “I love you so much, I’m going to miss you forever.
“The sweetest and most loving boy I’ve ever known. I hope you know how much I love you, gorgeous. Thank you for all the time you’ve spent with me... thank you for loving me endlessly. I promise I’ll do the same for you, my sweet, sweet angel.”
She added: “I can’t imagine my world without you. I’m missing you so much already, but I am going to enjoy life the way you would’ve wanted, the way that you made me feel.”
Her mother, Lisa Corfield, 37, said on Facebook: “I am absolutely heartbroken for Maddi and all of the families involved.
“Wilf was such a lovely, kind lad and treated Maddi in a way only a mother could hope her daughter be treated.”
04:33 PM GMT
Harvey Owen 'well ahead of his years'
Richard Conway, a chef who worked with Harvey at Dough & Oil, told The Telegraph that Harvey Owen, 17, was “well ahead of his years” and “had a lot of potential”. He said:
I’m not quite sure what he wanted to do when he was older, but I know that he had a lot of potential and that’s the hardest thing.He was already well ahead of his years and was well poised for a good life.
It was all day yesterday from the morning I woke up and since my boss texted me, we knew something was wrong.
I was keeping track of the news very closely and then we found out there was going to be a conference which would be held by the police.
It was not a fun day. When we realised their bodies had been found - it was almost impossible to process. I think I’m still coming to terms with it now.
04:29 PM GMT
Teenager had not mentioned trip at last work shift
A chef who worked with Harvey Owen at a pizzeria in Shrewsbury said he had not mentioned the camping trip when he last saw him on Thursday, the day before he departed.
Richard Conway, a chef who worked with Harvey at Dough & Oil, told The Telegraph’s Fiona Parker:
I would see him at work [at Dough & Oil] - we are a close unit, so it really hits hard.
I only saw him a few days ago - last Thursday. He was great, he reminded me a lot of myself at his age, because we were into the same music - he liked literature, he was reading a book called The Dharma Bourns by Jack Kerouac.
I resonate with him, we had the same interests. It must have been a boys’ weekend that he was on, it didn’t come up on Thursday.
It was probably a surprise to many people that they had gone on a camping trip.
02:55 PM GMT
NEW: Police divers arrive at crash scene
A police divers’ unit has been seen approaching the crash site, 24 hours since the Ford fiesta was discovered.
What appeared to be a North West Underwater Search and Marine Unit van drove along the A4085 from Garreg and beyond where the cordon had been set up for a second day.
The team is a collaboration of six police forces in the North West, including Greater Manchester Police and Merseyside Police, as well as the North Wales force.
02:26 PM GMT
In pictures: Floral tributes near crash scene
01:57 PM GMT
Mother of killed teenager says she is 'living in a nightmare'
The mother of a teenager who was killed in a car crash while on a camping trip in Snowdonia said that she is “living in a nightmare”.
Crystal Owen, the mother of 17-year-old Harvey, spoke of her appreciation of people’s “kindness” following the news of her son’s death, but said that “nothing will make this nightmare go away”.
Harvey, along with his college friends Wilf Fitchett, Jevon Hirst and Hugo Morris, were found dead on Tuesday after their silver Ford fiesta was discovered submerged in a river.
Ms Owen had previously said that she had not known her son was going on a camping trip, and if she had she “wouldn’t have let him due to the weather conditions”.
Writing on Facebook after the news broke of the teenagers’ deaths, Ms Owen said: “I feel like I’m in a nightmare I wish I could wake up from but I’m not.”
12:50 PM GMT
New statement from North Wales Police
Detectives investigating the fatal crash are still carrying out a “detailed search” of the area near to where the silver Ford Fiesta was found, North Wales Police said.
Superintendent Owain Llewellyn said: “As part of our investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the four young teenagers in the Garreg area, we are continuing to carry out a detailed search of the area where the car was found. As a result the A4058 will remain closed until we are satisfied all related property has been recovered.
“Our thoughts remain with the families at this extremely difficult time and I would like to thank the public for their continued patience and understanding.”
12:28 PM GMT
Pictured: Victims of the tragedy
Jevon Hirst
Wilf Fitchett
Harvey Owen
Hugo Morris
12:20 PM GMT
No Christmas celebrations as town in mourning
Christmas lights in the home town of the boys who died were due to be switched on in a ceremony this evening, but instead will go on without celebration.
Shrewsbury council’s town clerk Helen Ball said in addition to the ceremony being cancelled, the start of the town’s seasonal late-night shopping has been delayed for a week.
“We think the most appropriate thing to do is just to cancel the celebration of the start of Christmas that we would ordinarily do at this time of year,” she told BBC Radio Shropshire.
“The lights will go on in the next couple of days, but we’ll just have them on a timer; there won’t be a big celebration,” Ms Ball added.
12:08 PM GMT
Keir Starmer: 'Living nightmare for any parent'
Sir Keir Starmer has said the deaths of teenagers Wilf Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen and Hugo Morris is a “living nightmare for any parents”.
Paying tribute, the Labour leader told the Commons: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in the House in saying our hearts go out to the families and friends of the four young men from Shrewsbury who tragically lost their lives this week.
“It’s a living nightmare for any parent and I can hardly begin to imagine their loss.”
12:05 PM GMT
Shrewsbury Christmas lights switch-on cancelled
Shrewsbury’s Christmas lights switch-on has been cancelled following the camping tragedy.
The town’s council said: “Following the tragic news yesterday we have taken the respectful decision to cancel the lights switch-on, scheduled for this evening. Our thoughts go out to all who are caught up in this terrible tragedy.”
12:03 PM GMT
Rishi Sunak pays tribute
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has paid tribute in the Commons to the boys who died in the Snowdonia tragedy.
“I know the thoughts of the whole House will be with the family and friends of the four teenagers who died in a car accident in north Wales,” he said at the start of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday lunchtime.
11:40 AM GMT
Shrewsbury College rocked by tragedy
This is the third tragedy this autumn for students of Shrewsbury College.
A 17-year-old apprentice bricklayer at the college, Ben Worrall, died in a motorbike accident on October 1 on the A458 near Shrewsbury, while on September 29, an 18-year-old man who studied at the college died in the town centre.
Rev Charlotte Gompertz, vicar at Oxon Parish Church who knew some of the families, told The Telegraph:
Shrewsbury is a small enough place that everyone knows somebody who knows somebody who knows those boys.
There have been other tragedies - other deaths at [Shrewsbury Colleges Group].
There were two deaths very recently - a suicide and a motorbike accident.
My daughter is in the upper sixth and she got an email from them last night and they were setting up special assemblies and making sure all the kids knew where the support is and how to get it - so that was all going on this morning.
She said she had not spoken to the families of the Snowdonia tragedy as it was “all so fresh” and that this “level of grief was such a private thing”, but that the church was there “when they are ready”.
She added: “Last night, we had about 30 people or so, including lots of young people and fellow pupils of the boys, some came with their mums.”
11:33 AM GMT
Candle in the wild
A small burning candle has been lit on a road bridge over a river near the crash site, in an apparent local tribute to the teenagers left overnight.
Further along, a police car and a small number of officers appear to be searching an area by a bend on the A4085, the road on which the boys’ vehicle was found.
11:18 AM GMT
Latest pictures
11:11 AM GMT
Flowers in nearest village 'to show that we care'
The local vicar, councillor and around 20 residents gathered for a minute’s silence in Garreg, the nearest village to where the teenagers were found dead yesterday, Genevieve Holl-Allen reports.
Flowers and written tributes were laid by a local monument, as well as photographs of each of the four boys, before Rev Roland Barnes led the gathering in prayers.
“We pray for the poor youngsters so tragically killed, taken from their loved ones in the prime of life.
“Lord, we ask you to bless them and all who love them. Lord, we know the slenderness of the thread, which separates life from death and the suddenness with which that thread can be broken.”
Speaking to reporters after the service, Rev Barnes said that the community was feeling “shock and sadness” following the news of the deaths of the four boys who he described as having “such a sense of adventure”.
He added: “The roads that we can see here are so windy and narrow and you’ve got to be careful.”
He said that the community wanted to lay tributes in the local area “to show that we care”.
“I’m sure in time families will want to come down here and want to see where it happened. It’s really appropriate that when they come they see that we do care, we put flowers and we do feel for them.”
11:06 AM GMT
'Bright, hardworking and humble'
A Shrewsbury pizzeria where Harvey Owen worked has paid tribute to the “easy-going, warm, funny, gentle, bright, hardworking and humble” teenager.
“We all had a soft spot for Harvey”, a spokesman for the Dough and Oil, a sourdough pizza, craft beer and wine restaurant, said on Wednesday morning.
“He joined us two years ago starting on the pot wash earning his stripes, before moving front of house and more recently into the kitchen. He gave it his all, developing a passion for dough and had dreams of one day opening his own bakery. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago, showing his willingness to always play his part and be involved.
“Before shifts or on his break you’d often find him listening to music or his head in a book - usually for his age enjoying the likes of The Doors and Jack Kerouac, always keen to chat and discover something new.”
“Our love, thoughts and condolences go out to Harvey’s family and to those of his friends, their lives full of promise cut so tragically short. Harvey you’ll be forever in our hearts. The restaurant will remain closed today.”
10:57 AM GMT
Local vicar 'can't get head around it'
Rev Charlotte Gompertz, vicar at Oxon Parish Church, said she knew three of the boys’ families.
Rev Gompertz, who has held her post for the last four years, also told how she and others had prayed for boys to be found just hours before their bodies were discovered.
She told The Telegraph:
It is just devastating. As a vicar, this is just not anything you ever want to do. I woke up yesterday and saw the news on my newsfeed and didn’t even realise that they were people I might know.
Then I get a call from someone saying, ‘It’s so and so’s son and the other one’s so and so’s son’ and I just couldn’t get my head around it. I am a parent, but even for anyone who doesn’t have children, it’s just utterly tragic.
We came up here yesterday morning to pray and our hope was then that they would just be found whatever.
So obviously in that regard, they were found in some sense, but obviously you ever wanted this to be the outcome.
10:31 AM GMT
Crash site remains blocked off
After removing the police cordon yesterday evening, the site of the crash near the A4085 at Garreg has been blocked off again.
Police were seen in the early hours of this morning conducting further searches at the site.
10:09 AM GMT
Teenagers' deaths have 'impacted everyone', says local vicar
A local vicar in Shrewsbury, where the four teenagers were from, said that the news of their deaths was “utterly devastating” for the community.
Rev Charlotte Gompertz, of the Oxon Vicarage, told BBC Radio 4: “It’s impacted everyone, as you say it’s a tight knit community where many of the young people have been at school since they were four years old.”
The vicar said that she knew some of the families involved, and added: “It’s going to take a long time for us to get our heads even vaguely around this tragedy.
“It will be devastating for the students, it’s a huge sixth form college, they’ve had some tragedies over the last couple of months, but I know they are putting things in place to help the students.”
The vicarage opened its doors yesterday evening to allow local residents to light candles and pray.
“We are doing the same tonight and I am sure we are going to have people tonight to pay their respects in the best way they can in this early stage,” she said.
09:33 AM GMT
Pictured: Snowdonia car accident
09:29 AM GMT
Every mother and father will be feeling the pain of the Snowdonia parents
When the alarm went up on Sunday that Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, Wilf Henderson and Hugo Morris, all sixth form students at Shrewsbury College, were missing, every mother, every father in the land held their collective breath.
With the news that the bodies of four students were found in a crashed car, the grief that grips their families is a nightmare come true.
See the full story here.
09:25 AM GMT
How the search for the missing Snowdonia boys unfolded
On Tuesday morning, desperate and frantic with worry, the parents of the four teenage boys who had disappeared on a camping weekend in Snowdonia, sped across Wales to help with the search.
Almost 19 hours from when they were first reported missing at 3.10pm on Monday, a car was discovered. A silver Ford Fiesta was found submerged in the ice-cold waters of a river just outside the remote village of Garreg.
Inside were the bodies of the four boys.
See the full story here.
09:22 AM GMT
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to The Telegraph’s live coverage of the Snowdonia camping tragedy.
Follow this story for the latest updates.
