AIR cadet Christopher Colmer died a 'sitting duck' with two comrades after a 38-tonne lorry smashed into their RAF coach.

Christopher, 15, of Woodhall Drive, Pinner, and the two boys were at the back of the coach and took the full impact, Peterborough Crown Court heard on Tuesday (Nov 13). The two other boys who died were Wayne Maynard, 18, of Barnet, and Jason Adnitt, 15, of Edmonton.

Former Hatch End High School pupil Christopher had been a member of the 2236 Squadron (Stanmore) ATC based in Douglas Close for two years and was also a valued member of the Harrow Times' distribution team.

Nineteen other air cadets, including James Topping, 15, from Barnet and Luke Mason, 14, of Uxbridge, were injured in the horrific accident.

They were all from the Air Training Corps Middlesex Wing based in Uxbridge and had been on a summer camp when the collision occurred outside Peterborough on August 21 last year.

Coach driver Jeannette Morris, 48, of Stamford and lorry driver Simon Bland, 37, of Peterborough, are each charged with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mrs Morris, a Ministry of Defence driver, wept as the jury heard how her coach was involved in a minor collision at a service area on the A1 near Thornaugh, Cambridgeshire, while she ferried cadets back from an orienteering trip.

Yvonne Coen QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Morris stopped the coach on the inside lane of the A1 86 metres north of the accident. There was no hard shoulder. "Mrs Morris knew the danger. Her passengers were sitting ducks," she said.

Moments later a lorry, driven by Mr Bland, hit the back of the coach, killing the air cadets.

"The accident happened because the coach was left by Mrs Morris in a dangerous position in the dark on a bend," said Ms Coen.

"Mr Bland would have had a clear view of the coach for several seconds. The plain fact is that Mr Bland could not have been keeping proper lookout."

The case continues.