The parents of a teenager killed by his best friend in a car crash said today they felt no anger.

Richard Johnson, 20, lost control of his Mazda car and hit a tree. His front seat passenger, Paul Shirley, 19, died at the scene.

Paul Shirley, right, died when the car driven by Richard Johnson, left, went out of control

As Johnson started a three-year sentence for causing death by careless driving while over the drink drive limit, Mr Shirley's father Robert, of Woodway Street, Middle Barton, said: "We do not blame Richard at all.

"Life is too short for that. If it was our son being locked up, we would be devastated.

"We are still very good friends with Richard's parents. We have supported them all the way through. It is dreadful for them.

"Richard never meant to kill Paul. It was just an accident. Of course, it was stupid of him to be driving while he was drunk.

"They both loved life - loved going out, music, clothes, holidays and having a good time. Our son was really living his life."

Mr Shirley said the pair had known each for more than 15 years and had been to school and at work together.

As reported in the Oxford Mail on Saturday, the accident happened on the A44 near Chipping Norton at midnight on April 2 last year. Tests showed that Johnson, of Marshall Crescent, Middleton Stoney, near Bicester, had traces of cocaine and cannabis in his body as well as being over the drink drive limit.

Sentencing him to three years in a young offenders' institution, Judge Charles Harris, told him: "This driving was irresponsibility of a high order with terrible consequences. You drove badly. You drove when you had drunk too much. It is a very sad case."

Johnson was banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended driving test when he leaves prison.