A TEENAGER who died after crashing his moped has been described as a caring and loving son by his devastated father.

Luke Casson suffered fatal head injuries when he lost control of his bike as he took it for a test drive through the village he lived in after working on it with his father.

The 16-year-old was seen riding slightly over the speed limit for the road through Hutton Henry, near Peterlee, in east Durham, less than three weeks after passing his provisional test.

The popular youngster took evasive action when he saw a Range Rover driving towards him as he left the village on the wrong side of the road. However, he lost control, falling from the bike and hitting a wooden telegraph pole.

Teesside Coroner’s Court heard how the year 11 pupil at St Hild's Church of England School, in Hartlepool, would have instantly lost consciousness and suffered a fatal brain injury.

His father, Robert, told the hearing that the family had been overwhelmed with support of friends and family as well as everyone at the school.

“He was extremely popular,” he said, “Even more so than we realised before his untimely death. He was caring and true and had many friends, both male and female, and I struggled to find a photograph where he wasn’t in the arms of a young lady.”

Mr Casson, of Ashbrook Court, Hutton Henry, added his son would never leave home without giving his parents a hug and was loved by everyone.

On the day of the accident, Saturday, May 21, 2011, the pair had been working on Luke’s moped and he took it for a test ride.

When he hadn’t returned five minutes later, his father went looking for him and came across the accident scene on Front Street in their home village.

The teenager was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees but was pronounced dead at hospital.

Pathologist Jan Lowe told the hearing that the teenager suffered a severe brain injury caused by rapid deceleration when he hit the telegraph pole with such force it knocked the teenager’s helmet off.

Accident investigator PC Ian Haigh, of Durham Police, said he had calculated the speed of the bike as being in excess of the 30mph speed limit and that the moped had been bought de-restricted meaning it was able to travel faster than the inexperienced rider’s licence entitled him to.

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded that Mr Casson had died as the result of an accident.