Hundreds of car lovers pay tribute to crash pair

Vowing never to forget Tom Emery and Dean Paling who died in a car crash exactly a year ago, more than 200 car lovers filled a Hampshire car park last night to pay their respects.

Tom, 24, from Southampton and Dean, 23, from Botley, a former powerboat champion, were killed when the Mitsubishi Lancer the pair were travelling left the road and flipped onto its roof.

The friends had been on the B2177 Southwick Road near Boarhunt when the accident happened.

Last night scores of people descended on Hedge End retail park, gathering near a shrine they had erected in the pair's memory after the crash before some then went on to the crash site.

It was reminiscent of the scenes the day after the crash happened when friends and family again gathered in an outpouring of grief.

Last night's gathering was organised by Dean's friend Ben Parker, 21, from Hedge End.

He said: “We just wanted to pay our respects as much as humanly possible. He was mates with so many people. A lot of people liked him which is why so many people came.

“I thought a meet needs to be organised because I didn't want him to be forgotten.”

Mark Soper, 39, a marine engineer from Warsash, attended the event in memory of Tom.

He said: “He was such a lovely guy. He couldn't do enough for you and he was always full of smiles.

“The meet was fantastic. I couldn't believe the turn out. It just shows what respect people had for the two guys.”

Lisa Guard, 28, a carer from Fawley had decorated her rear windscreen in tribute of Dean, who she had asked to be her son's godfather on the day of the crash. The windscreen featured Dean's number plate P444LNG and a Renault badge, in recognition of the car he was known for.

Kristy Cooper, 25, a car rental agent from Woolston, said she was hoping to drive Dean's favourite route from Hedge End to Portsdown Hill after last night's gathering.

She said: “The road has always been special - it's the nicer way to get to Portsmouth but it's extra special now because we're remembering our friends.”

Dean, whose nickname was “Little Dean”, was a navigator for his good friend, racing driver Dean Stoneman, as the pair stunned the powerboating world to claim the P1 Superstock UK Championship two years ago.

Dean Stoneman was unable to attend the meet last night but paid tribute to his friend saying that not a day goes past when he doesn't think about him.

An inquest into the deaths heard that Tom had been at the wheel when he lost control of the car which he had bought just days before. Verdicts of accidental deaths were recorded.