FRIENDS of teenager Max Lewis, who died in a car crash on Saturday, are so devastated by his death they have created a roadside shrine.

The 19-year-old, of Baldham, Seend, died just before 3pm on Saturday after the red Citroen Saxo, in which he was a passenger, collided with a van coming in the opposite direction in Forest Lane, Melksham.

Dan Palmer, 22, one of Max’s best friends, who was driving the Citroen Saxo, was rushed by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital in a critical condition.

Dan, from Melksham, only knew Max had died after he came out of intensive care on Sunday.

He has undergone extensive surgery after suffering a punctured lung and broken pelvis but is in a stable condition.

On Sunday, Max’s brother, Dan Lewis, and his cousin, Ashley O’Neill, visited the road where hundreds of tributes and have been left. Friends also gathered to hold a candlelit vigil and let off fireworks on Monday evening.

Max lived with his dad Brian Atkinson and was a former pupil at Seend Church of England Primary School.

He then joined George Ward School in Melksham and then Melksham Oak. After that he studied engineering for a year at Wiltshire College’s Chippenham campus.

Stephanie Stephenson, director of student services, said: “Max was a lovely student to teach and he had a good group of friends around him. He was with us for a year, but we will always have fond memories of him.

"Our thoughts at this time, and our deepest sympathies, are with his family and friends.”

Students at Melksham Oak Community School who knew Max are being offered counselling and support.

It is the second road tragedy to have struck the family.

In 2004 Max’s mum Nicola Lewis lost her brother Christopher Lewis when he was working on the M25 and an articulated lorry travelling at 55mph in a 30mph zone ploughed through cones, striking his white works van, which crushed him against crash barriers.

Police are now urging friends of Max to come forward and help them piece together what happened.

Two cars were driving alongside Max and Dan in Forest Lane but did not stop at the crash so police want Max’s friends to come forward with information, so they can work out how it happened.

Senior investigating officer PC Peter Williamson said: “Witnesses travelling from the Lacock direction towards Melksham were overtaken before the collision by three vehicles. These three vehicles were travelling close together at speed. One was the Saxo, one we believe to be silver, one blue.

“We believe they all know each other, we also believe members of the local community will know them.

“A short time later the witnesses came across the Saxo which has lost control for some reason on the bend and collided with a van coming in the opposite direction.”

Sergeant Barrie Card said yesterday: “We have had a considerable amount of information from the public in relation to the identity of the drivers of the two cars. As a result, we are now following a number of lines of enquiry.

“It is still crucial that anyone who has any information about the two cars or the collision itself contacts us as soon as possible to assist us with our ongoing inquiries.”

Police have also been recording the number plates of cars who have been visiting the site to lay flowers.

The 25-year-old driver of the van from Trowbridge suffered minor injuries and was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath. He has now returned home and will be helping police with enquiries.