Birthday party for road victim's son

May 25 2006 By Anna Jeys, Birmingham Mail

THE son of road crash victim Rik Adams was at the centre of his grieving family's thoughts today - his first birthday.

Blake Adams's distraught mum, uncles, aunts and grandparents were determined to mark the little boy's special day despite the heartbreak.

Doting dad Rik had popped out from work on Friday to meet his wife, Susan, when a high-powered Subaru Impreza, travelling at 120mph, smashed into his car.

Rik, a 34-year-old chartered surveyor from Knowle, Solihull, was on his way to pick up a birthday present for Blake.

Speaking after the opening of the inquest in Birmingham yesterday, his brother Mark Adams said: "The whole family is struggling on really.

"We are trying to stay on the positive side that we had Rik for 34 years, and now we have his son to focus on. We are still going to celebrate Blake's birthday. He was originally going to have a big party, but now it is just going to be a small family affair."

Mr Adams, a 36-year-old property developer from Solihull, added: "We were all proud of Rik's academic and business achievements, but more because of the man that he was - his honesty and integrity and his ability to rise to any challenge.

"What he was most proud of was his wife and son. He had told us all very recently that everything in his life was perfect."

The family is inviting everyone who knew Rik to attend the funeral service at Knowle Church, in Warwick Road, at 2pm on Tuesday.

The keen rugby player, who played for Old Silhillians, was just yards from Star City, in Cuckoo Road, Nechells, Birmingham, when the Subaru clipped a kerb, hurtled through the air and landed on his VW Golf hire car.

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was later released on police bail pending further inquiries.

The inquest was opened and adjourned yesterday to a date to be fixed.

* Witnesses or anyone with information can call the road policing unit at Nechells Green on 0845 113 5000.

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