INQUESTS into the deaths of three teenagers who died in a car crash near Denbigh were opened at Ruthin Town Hall in Denbighshire.

Senior Coroner for North Wales (East and Central), John Gittins, opened proceedings concerning John Michael Jones, 18, and Leon Rice, 17, both from Ruthin, and Colin Hornsby, 17, from Droylsden, Greater Manchester, who all died at the scene following a collision between a Vauxhall Corsa and a Vauxhall Antara on Graig Road, near Denbigh, on Friday, October 26 at around 7.30pm.

All three men who died were travelling in the Vauxhall Corsa, along with two more males aged 16 and 19, who were taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, with serious injuries.

The 66-year-old male driver of the Vauxhall Antara suffered minor injuries while the 68-year-old female passenger has sustained serious injuries.

At the opening of the inquests, Mr Gittins said Mr Hornsby, of Field Street, Droylsden, Greater Manchester, was a student.

Driver, 18-year-old John Michael Jones - known as Michael, of Llawr y Dyffryn, Ruthin, was pronounced dead at the scene, along with 17-year-old front seat passenger Leon Rice of Parc y Dre, Ruthin, and rear passenger, Colin Hornsby, aged 17.

The coroner added that the mother of Mr Hornsby has said her son had travelled to the area from Greater Manchester and was camping in North Wales at the time of the incident.

A post mortem examination carried out by Dr Huyan Abdel Asalam on the three men’s bodies indicated that Mr Rice and Mr Jones had died of multiple injuries while Mr Hornsby had suffered a fatal chest haemorrhage.

Mr Gittins adjourned each inquest until a provisional date set for Spring 2019