A GRIEVING Kidderminster mother told a coroner it was "disgusting" that her son's best friend failed to turn up to give evidence at an inquest into how the tragic teenager died.

Trainee mechanic Josh Jones,18, died a week after being crushed by his car, which crashed down on to him as he worked underneath it but his friend, Aaron Nunn, who had been helping him and found him badly injured, failed to attend the inquest, despite a summons from Worcestershire Senior Coroner Geraint Williams.

Josh's mother, Stephanie, 39, told Mr Williams: "I just think he should have been here. I just think it's disgusting.

"There's something not right about the way he is acting."

Mrs Jones, whose son lived with her and his father, Rob, in Walton Close, Kidderminster, added that Mr Nunn had avoided her family since the tragedy.

Mr Williams, who concluded the death was accidental, said Mr Nunn - Josh's "apparent best friend" - had "ignored" a summons to come to the inquest, despite six to eight approaches from the coroner's officer.

Mr Nunn, 23, said in a written statement that he and Josh were working on the car on a driveway opposite his home in Manor Road, Stourport, on May 21.

The vehicle was propped up on two axle jacks and a scissor jack.

Mr Nunn's statement added that, at about 6.50pm, he went into his home to put his child to bed and returned at 7.08pm to find the axle stand collapsed and the car on top of Josh.

His partner called emergency services and firefighters moved the car before the badly injured teenager was taken to hospital.

Josh died from a brain injury, trauma and cardiac arrest in Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital on May 28, despite efforts by medics to save his life.

Mr Nunn, when contacted by The Shuttle after the hearing, said he "forgot all about" the inquest.

He added: "I feel bad. There's nothing more to it than that - there's no reason to be suspicious."