A MAN who died in an early morning lorry crash in Banbury is believed to be a refugee.

Charity Help Refugees has said it believes 18-year-old Mohammed Hussain was the victim in the fatal crash in Beaumont Road at about 4.30am on Friday.

It said the Kurdish man was thought to have been travelling underneath the lorry when it crashed.

Volunteer Maddie Harris said Mr Hussain had been living in a Dunkirk refugee camp for about six months before making the journey to the UK to be reunited with an uncle living in Manchester.

She said it would have meant he could have made an asylum claim under the European Union’s Dublin regulation.

Ms Harris, who works in the camp in Dunkirk, France, said police officers answered a call made by surviving family members to Mr Hussain’s mobile on Friday evening.

She added: “The police answered and I was asked to speak to them. He was underneath a truck, there was an accident and he was killed.

"He'd been in Dunkirk a long time - maybe he decided to go on his own. All Mohammed was trying to do was to find a better life and he felt this was his only option.

"The problem is we are aware of Mohammed because he was known in the camp, but how many more people has this happened to?"

Ms Harris added next of kin had been informed and formal identification was expected to take place tomorrow.

A man who was arrested for causing death by careless driving has been released without charge.

Thames Valley Police said it has launched a full investigation into the incident and has prepared a file for the coroner's office, but refused to identify the victim.

Force spokeswoman Connie Primmer said it believed no other vehicles were involved in the crash, which closed the road for about five hours.

Banbury town councillor Surinder Dhesi, who covers Beaumont Road, paid tribute to the victim.

She said: "It is very sad that someone has lost their life in this tragic accident. 

"My deepest condolences to the young person's family for their sad loss.

"The Beaumont Road leading onto Southam Road is very busy and we need to make sure we gather all the information regarding the accident to ascertain what to do next to prevent it from happening again."

Cherwell District Council member Matt Johnstone said: "I was deeply saddened to hear about the crash.

"My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."