THE GRIEVING family of a teenager killed in a car accident said there would always be "unanswered questions" surrounding his death.

Robert Ford, 18, (pictured) of Bishton Lane, Tidenham near Chepstow, known to family and friends as Ben, died of the multiple head and chest injuries he suffered.

The crash happened two days before Christ-mas when his Ford Fiesta and a lorry collided on the A4136 at Longhope, Forest of Dean.

An inquest at Gloucester heard on Wednesday from the lorry driver, Peter Pritchard, an experienced driver for TNT Deliveries.

He said: "The headlights of the car began flickering. It did not seem to slow down or slide, it was drifting into my side of the road and turning sideways.

"I slammed on the brakes. There was very little else I could do. There was nowhere to go. I hit the car square on the near side.

"I was on my own side of the road, the car was embedded into the side of my vehicle." Mr Pritchard, who was heading to Warrington, said he was driving under 40mph and had had plenty of sleep before taking to the road.

The inquest heard that the police accepted the testimony of Mr Pritchard and would not be bringing any charges against him.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner David Gibbons said: "The facts in this case are simple, but the reasons why the car began turning, we shall never know," he added.

Last night, the grieving mother of the former pupil of St John's-on-The-Hill Preparatory School, Chepstow, Nichola Ford said: "We knew an accidental death verdict would come out but there are so may unanswered questions, questions only Ben could answer. "He was our only son and my husband Bob and I are devastated.

"Both his lecturers and friends spoke of his maturity, a young gentleman who was a credit to his parents and a joy to be with.

"Hard-working, ethical and a man of integrity, qualities some men twice his age could never grasp."

Mrs Ford added: "He was a very popular boy with a wonderful sense of humour who got on with everybody.

"Prince Charles said his grandmother was magical, and to us our son was magical." Mr Ford, a prize-winning clay pigeon shooter, had hoped to study forestry at university after gaining B-Tech qualifications this summer.

Mr Ford is survived by parents Nichola and Bob, and his sister Jodie, 27, a former pupil of Monmouth Haberdashers' School For Girls.