A teenager has died after an off-road bike with three people aboard crashed into a car.

Chris Mason, 18, was killed and his two friends seriously injured in the crash in Denton on Monday.

Police say it is unclear which of the three was driving when the collision took place just before 11.30am on busy Manchester Road.

Witnesses described how Chris, who lived on nearby Tame Street, was thrown over the handlebars and under a bus when the bike hit a Ford Focus which is understood to have come out of a side road.

His two friends, Lewis Addison and Scott Wilson, also understood to be in their late teens, were taken to hospital although their conditions were not thought to be life-threatening.

Traffic police closed Manchester Road at its junction with Stockport Road for four hours while an investigation began into the tragedy. No-one in the Ford Focus involved was hurt.

Chris's mum, Kerrie, paid tribute to him. She said: “He was a likeable, popular lad. He was good to me and to all his family. He was very sociable and one of the boys.

Heart of gold

“He enjoyed going out with his mates. He was a caring lad and had a heart of gold.”

The former Egerton Park pupil played for his local amateur football team, Audenshaw Gunners, and was a Manchester United fan. He was training to be a scaffolder and had two younger sisters.

A facebook group - R.I.P. Chris Mason – which was set up by friends of the teenager yesterday afternoon already had more than 1,000 members by 9pm.

Witnesses described how the teenager had tried to call for help after being thrown from the bike outside the NatWest bank.

One, a cafe worker, said: “I heard a loud crash and went running out. I saw one of the men crying and shouting. His head was bleeding and he was saying he had pain in his leg. Then I saw the other one under the bus trying to call for help. It was very upsetting.”

Anthony Watson, who works in Soul Food takeaway on Manchester Road, added: “We heard a loud motorbike and there were three lads on it. The front of the car was badly damaged. A lot of people gathered round and next thing the ambulances were there and one of the guys was taken away on a stretcher.”

A close friend, Lauren Andrew, paid tribute to Chris. She said: “He was really funny, he’d make everybody laugh and was always the centre of attention. Everyone is going to miss him round here. He was a lad’s lad. He liked going to parties and was the life and soul. I never saw him sad.”