A TEENAGER was fatally injured while trying to move his step-mother’s car off the road, police have revealed.

Dominic James Osbourne Scarre, 19, died on Wednesday morning (October 17) when he was struck by a Ford Transit van travelling eastbound on the A689, near Sedgefield, County Durham.

Mr Scarre, from Finchale, near Durham City, had been travelling in a Peugeot 406 car driven by his step-mother, who was taking him to a forklift truck driving course in the Cleveland area.

It is believed the car had run out of fuel and Mr Scarre had got out intending to push it onto the kerb.

However, as he was doing so, he was hit by the van and suffered multiple injuries which proved fatal.

His step-mother, 32, from Willington, County Durham, suffered minor back and neck injuries and was treated at North Tees Hospital, in Stockton.

The 27-year-old van driver, from Meadowfield, near Durham City, was also treated at the same hospital for minor injuries, before being arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.

After being interviewed by the police, he was released on police bail until mid-December while enquiries continue.

In a statement released through Durham Police today (October 18), Mr Scarre’s parents and family said they felt utterly devastated by the tragedy, which happened at 7.50am on Wednesday.

Mr Scarre, of Low Moor Cottages, who leaves a 13-year-old brother, was a former pupil of Framwellgate School Durham and earlier this year completed a two-year environmental conservation course at East Durham College’s Houghall campus, near Durham.

Jane Pringle, head of Houghall, said: “We are shocked and very saddened to hear the news about Dominic. Our thoughts are with his family at this very sad time.”

Tomorrow (October 19), friends of Mr Scarre will release sky lanterns carrying tributes in his memory. They plan to meet at the Angel pub, Crossgate, Durham, at 5pm and release the lanterns in Wharton Park at 8pm.

Durham Police are asking any witnesses who have not already come forward to call their collision investigation unit on 0191-3752159.