Birthday party 4x4 tragedy

A teenager's birthday party ended in tragedy when a friend was killed in a 4x4 off-road adventure day on farmland near Stourport.

The dead man named as Andrew Cooper by a friend at the scene, was part of a family outing to Coney Green Farm in Ribbesford Lane to celebrate a 16th birthday party yesterday.

29-year old Mr Cooper was a friend of the family of 16-year old Charlotte Flynn from Halesowen.

Mr Cooper, an electrician from Halesowen, was a passenger in the vehicle which went out of control on dirt track at Stagborough Hill after getting a wheel stuck in a rut.

A passer-by and party guests including two off-duty police officers and two nurses tried to help rescue Mr Cooper from the wreckage of the vehicle, which had toppled over.

The passer-by and the police officers helped pull Mr Cooper from the wreckage of the vehicle which had toppled over.

The teenager is believed to have scrambled free before losing consciousness.

An air ambulance landed in a nearby field and took Mr Cooper to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham where he was later pronounced dead.

The boy was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital where he was treated for suspected head injury.

Richard Flynn, 39, from Halesowen, was a close friend of Mr Cooper.

He organised the day out for his daughter Charlotte and asked Mr Cooper to go along.

Mr Flynn, an engineer, said: "It was an absolute tragedy and I can't quite believe what has happened.

"I only asked Andy to come along a few days ago and he said he couldn't because he was down to do some overtime on Sunday.

"He changed his mind, I think because he wanted to test out his Land Rover for an off-road event on the same course this Sunday ."

By Sol Buckner