A TEENAGER who died after a car crash has been described as a Jack the Lad who “always wanted to make people laugh” by one of his best friends.

Liam Ball, 17, died after the fatal collision in the early hours of August 2 and close friend Ryan Clayton is planning to run a half marathon to raise funds for his funeral.

A charity football match has also been arranged for the hairdresser from Malvern and who worked in Worcester, while a book of condolences is to be placed at the gym he frequented.

“It didn’t feel real, really, it was a shock,” said Ryan, who has known Liam since they were young children.

“We’ve played football together since we were nine or 10 years old. We’ve always been in contact, going to house parties together and we’d go meet up and go to the gym.

“He always used to cut my hair too,” added Ryan, also 17.

He said, alongside other friends of Liam’s, he has “visited his parents to see how they are coping”.

“We’ve been trying to comfort each other.”

Ryan, who lives in St John’s, Worcester, said Liam was “always the life of the party” who was “really talented and creative – and very passionate about barbering”.

To help his parents pay for the funeral costs, Ryan is planning to run the equivalent of a half marathon and has already smashed his £300 target.

“I haven’t planned my route yet but it’s going to be on my birthday [September 2].

“I want to go take the money to his family because I have known them a long time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cerys Caldwell, another of Liam’s friends, has set up a book of condolence at Pure Gym Worcester, where he was a member.

Cerys, 17, said the popular teen attended the St Martin’s Gate gym about twice a week.

“I know him from my childhood really, since we were about 12,” said Cerys, of Dines Green, and a student of Heart of Worcestershire College.

“A couple of years ago when I got out of a relationship he really helped me – he was a really supportive young man.

“It is just horrendous news. We are members of Pure Gym and we would go and see each other there.”

“I realised we didn’t really have a place to take flowers and other things to remember him.”

She said she wasn’t quite sure if people “would get” the idea of the condolence book “but it is really nice feeling that everyone thought it was a nice idea”.

Cerys got permission for the tribute from Liam’s mum, who thanked her, she said – while the gym agreed to have a table set up with the book on it.

Alex Barton, manager of Pure Gym Worcester, said she felt gyms today create a “sense of community feel” which he thought was demonstrated by the condolences book.

“It is one of these things where people are in regularly. At the same time, it is our acknowledgement of this awful tragedy and we would like to support anyone who has been affected by it,” She continued.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court last week in relation to the crash, which happened on Weston Street, Walsall.

He has been charged with death by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, no insurance and failing to stop at the scene.

He has been released into the care of Social Services to re-appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 5.

Two female passengers, both aged 14, were also injured in the collision – one suffering a broken arm and the other minor injuries. The silver Volkswagen Golf also hit a lamppost during the incident at 12.10am.

Liam was found collapsed nearby with a serious head injury and later pronounced dead in hospital.

See justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ryan-clayton to support Ryan’s run.