Tribute has been paid to two friends from Denholme who died in an horrific high-speed crash.

They were travelling in a Misubishi Lancer Evolution which went out-of-control and ploughed into a hairdressing salon.

Two of the victims have been named locally as Jade Best, 19, who was travelling in the back, and dad-of-two Adam Ruthven, 27, who was driving. Both lived in Denholme.

The other man, who was the front seat passenger, was a 32-year-old, who lived in Thornton.

Denholme newsagent Surinder Singh Atwal knew the two village victims and said he was stunned at the tragedy.

He said: "I feel so sad for Adam and Jade, but my heart, especially, goes to the girl.

“She was a little fighter, she had already been so brave battling cancer and had only been given the all-clear about a month or so ago. I used to salute her every time I saw her.

“We'd chat a bit, when she'd lost all her hair I'd tell her she was still beautiful because she was.

“As a parent this is what you dread ever happening to you – that one night you will get a knock at the door or a phone call."

Mr Atwal described Adam as a “hard-working lad”.

He added: “I'd only been speaking to him earlier that day.

“He loved his cars. He was just a young lad, trying to make ends meet and do the best for his family. He had two children, one who is six, I think, and a little baby."

All three died at the scene of the crash, which happened when the Mitsubishi was travelling along Thornton Road, in Thornton, towards Bradford shortly after 11pm on Monday.

Police said early inquiries suggested that “high speed” was a factor in the collision and that no other vehicle had been involved.

Among those who left flowers at the scene of the accident was a former neighbour of Adam, who didn’t want to be named.

He said: "Adam would always stop and say hello. I used to live near him and would have a few drinks.

"I didn't know Jade quite as well as him but I knew her more from her parents who drank in The Royal in Denholme – she was a lovely girl.”