TEENAGER Barrie Stoves told today how he went on a "joy ride" thinking it would be fun - but then pleaded to get out after a terrifying high-speed journey around York.

The driver, 15-year-old Joel Corner, stopped to let him out of the high-powered Audi and then set off again.

A minute or so later, he crashed into a van in Stockton Lane, killing himself, his front-seat passenger and friend Daniel Wright, and van driver Peter Alexander.

Barrie, speaking for the first time of his experiences last year, said today: "I'm very lucky to be alive. If I'd stayed in the car a minute longer, I'd probably have been killed."

The 16-year-old, from the Walmgate area of York, was throwing his support behind The Press' Live Now, Drive Later campaign, which aims to prevent another such tragedy happening in York.

He has agreed to take part in a hard-hitting video about the dangers of taking and driving a car while under-age and untrained, which The Press hopes will be shown to teenagers at schools and colleges in the York area.

"You just don't think it through at that age," he said. "Hopefully, the video will make teenagers think it through and realise what might happen if they do this sort of thing."

Barrie said he had met Joel, Daniel and another friend the night before the crash at McDonald's restaurant in York city centre, when Joel had revealed that he planned to take his father's Audi.

"I thought it would just be a bit of fun," he said. "My only thought was that we might get pulled over and get in a bit of trouble. I had no idea what would happen.

"Only as we were going along, and we were going round corners without slowing, did I realise things weren't right. It was obvious he couldn't drive the car properly. I was telling him to slow down. I was scared, but I still didn't realise how bad it would be. I thought it might end with the car having a little bump. I was pleading with him to stop and he did.

"I got out of the car and it crashed a minute or so later. I heard later on that day that Joel and Danny had been killed. I was shocked. I had never done this before and will never do it again."

He added that it had been a hard year since the crash happened, during which time he had thought he would have to give evidence in person at an inquest held last Thursday.

Instead, his statement was read out. He told investigating officers: "I only knew it had happened when I saw The Press last Friday."

Meanwhile, a friend, Arron Rose, who was also invited to go in the car on the fateful trip but made an excuse, has also agreed to appear in the video.

"I'd be happy to get involved in the video and put the message across not to do this," said Arron, also 16, of Derwent Avenue, Tang Hall.

Arron said on the afternoon of the accident, he had heard that there had been a crash in Stockton Lane and that three people had been killed.

"When my father said it had involved an Audi, I knew it was them," he said. "I just burst into tears." He said he thought at first that Barrie was one of those killed.

He said he later attended Joel and Daniel's funerals. "Whenever I have heard the music played at their funerals, it has brought it all back horribly.