"Everybody knew them - and if you didn't know them, you knew of them”

Three young men killed in a devastating Rotherham crash were on their way home after a day at a banger racing meeting when tragedy struck.

Brothers Cavan Reilly, aged 23, and Shea Reilly, 21, from Maltby and their friend Elliott Szczepkowski, 17, from Rawmarsh, had spent the day with friends at King’s Lynn, Norfolk, before heading home together.

But en-route, the car they were travelling in crashed on Denaby Lane, near Kilnhurst.

Cavan, Shea and Elliott were pronounced dead at the scene.

A 17-year-old who was also in the car survived with minor injuries.

Cavan, Shea and Elliot. The three young men tragically killed in a horror crash in Rotherham have been named and pictured as their friends begin to share their memories of the beloved trio. | Contributed

placeholder image — Cavan, Shea and Elliot. The three young men tragically killed in a horror crash in Rotherham have been named and pictured as their friends begin to share their memories of the beloved trio. | Contributed

Before the friends set off together that night, their friend Jack Payne, 24, remembers the brothers sitting together in the car, doing what they always did.

"They just sat there winding each other up," he said.

"It just painted them all over, that's just what they were like."

He said he had spent the day with Cavan, who he described as his "ride or die", alongside their wider group of friends who had become inseparable through their shared love of cars.

Their close-knit friendship group is reeling from the loss, Jack said.

"Everybody knew them - and if you didn't know them, you knew of them," Jack said.

Jack and Cavan had been best friends for six years, after meeting shortly after they both started driving.

"We were literally like two peas in a pod," Jack said.

Their friendship was built around simple things – putting fuel in their cars, driving around and enjoying each other's company.

Cavan was stubborn and argumentative, Jack admitted, but underneath it was "a heart of gold".

"He'd have done anything for anybody," he said.

He was particularly protective of his younger brother Shea.

"Everything was orientated around Shea, making sure he was all right," Jack said.

Cavan and Shea also worked together on the roads, meaning they spent even more time together.

"They were both very different people, but at the same point, they had so many similarities," he said.

Tributes at the scene to the three people who were killed in a crash on Denaby Lane, Rotherham. Photo: Kerrie Beddows. Iconic Media | Iconic Media

Jack spoke with particular emotion about Cavan and Shea's mum, who he described as his "second mum".

The brothers came from a small family and, Jack said, their mum had raised them on her own.

"His mum's done it on her own, for both of them," he said.

"She's done the most amazing job- she’s raised them into wonderful, amazing people.

"They genuinely were the heart and soul of her life.”

He said they were also incredibly close to their nan: “Their nan was everything to them.”

Jack said the thought of what she is now facing is almost impossible for him to comprehend.

"I can't even put into words how I feel for her," he said.

Shea, aged 21, was remembered as the life of the group.

"He was always the spark in the room," Jack said.

Jack said Shea looked up to his older brother, even though he would never have admitted it.

"He idolised him," he said.

And Cavan always made sure his younger brother came first.

Elliott was just 17, and was friends with the two brothers.

He had recently started his journey in the Army, something Jack said showed a lot about the kind of person he was.

"Not just anybody walks into that career," he said.

"He was just such a good kid, through and through."

Elliott was best friends with the other teenager who was in the car and survived.

"He really was just starting out in life - it's so heartbreaking knowing that it's just been cut short,” he said.

"He had such a promising career in front of him."

Jack said the three young men had a presence that meant they were known far beyond their closest friends.

"Everybody knew them. And if you didn't know them, you knew of them,” he said.

He said: "I don't think the families, or us lads realised just how big of an impact they had on absolutely everybody.

"Everybody they came into contact with has a funny or a memorable memory.

"They just had that aura- that personality. It was so infectious."

"It'll just linger and last forever."

Jack has since launched a fundraiser to help the families with funeral costs and financial pressures, knowing the families were ‘too humble’ to start one for themselves.

The fundraiser's £1,000 target was passed within five or 10 minutes.

To contribute to the fundraiser, follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-tragic-accident-on-denaby-lane