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Boys killed in Hayes crash were travelling to birthday party

The black Audi involved in the fatal collision
The black Audi involved in the fatal collision
TONY KITCHIN/PA

Three boys killed at a London bus stop this weekend had been on their way to a 16th birthday party.

Harry Rice, 16, and two friends named locally as George and Josh were hit by a black Audi in Hayes, west London, at about 8.30pm on Friday and were pronounced dead at the scene. Other teenagers at the bus stop were unhurt.

Mourners left floral tributes at the scene of the crash
Mourners left floral tributes at the scene of the crash
VICTORIA JONES/PA

A 28-year-old man was detained by members of the public before police arrived and arrested him on suspicion of death by dangerous driving. Witnesses said two other boys attacked him before the police arrived.

Detectives believe that other people may have been in the car and fled the scene.

Jane Shaw, of the Metropolitan Police serious collision investigation unit, said: “These are horrific circumstances that have resulted in three young people losing their lives.”

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Harry’s mother and sister have changed their Facebook profile pictures to photographs of the teenager.

More than 100 friends and family members visited the scene of the tragedy to pay tribute to the three boys.

A card read: “My darling baby boi, my heart is broken. Love always Mum and Vinnie.”

Another friend said: “I spoke to one of the boys here last night, they both saw their mates in pieces on the floor.

“George and Josh were best mates and stuck together like glue, like Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

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“They were all lovely, lovely boys, the best boys you could meet.”

Friends and family gathered at the bus stop to pay their respects
Friends and family gathered at the bus stop to pay their respects
TESS DE LA MARE/PA

Eyewitnesses to the crash said they saw two boys punching and kicking a person suspected of being the driver of the Audi.

Amandeep Matharoo, 27, and Jake Webb, 18, drove up to the scene and stopped when they saw three people fighting in an Esso garage forecourt and were the first to ring 999.

Mr Matharoo said: “I saw the boys fighting in the forecourt of the garage with an Asian guy on the floor, they were punching and kicking him, they told us he had killed their friend and said call the police.

“We saw two of the boys on the floor and paramedics came within about two minutes and they lifted one of the boy’s arms and it just fell straight back to the floor.

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“The lads were shouting on the phone and saying three of our friends are dead, they were hysterical and in pieces.”

Mr Webb said: “A lone paramedic turned up first and the friends literally drained her ambulance of everything, the boys were trying to take everything out to help their friends.