A NIGHT out ended in tragedy when a teenager was killed in a road accident at the weekend.

Michael Purtill, 19, of Five Acres Farm, Dawbers Lane, Euxton, had been out to celebrate a friend's birthday when the accident happened at 3am on Saturday morning.

Mr Purtill was dropped off by a minibus outside his home and began to cross the road in front of the vehicle. He was hit by a truck overtaking the minibus.

His three elder sisters had been on the night out with him and were there at the time of the accident.

The self-employed agricultural contractor who carried out work for other farms, suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The family are struggling to come to terms with their grief. His father, a farmer also called Michael, said: "We keep expecting him to come around the corner."

He paid tribute to his teenage son who he said used to help him around the farm as well as running his own business.

"Michael was well liked by everyone and he was just starting to build up his own business."

His mother, Linda, said: "It's just unbelievable."

And she added: "He was a very popular and likeable lad -- very cheerful and he always made people laugh."

His father said there was not normally much traffic around at that time. "We can't believe that the wagon was coming at that second. The road is normally so quiet," he said.

The driver of the 7.5 tonne Leyland Daf truck was not injured.

Mr Purtill's funeral will be held at St Mary's RC Church, Euxton at 11 am today (Thursday, November 15).