THEY were placed as a tribute to a young man killed in an horrific car crash.

Flowers tied to a tree by grieving relatives wanting to commemorate a life cruelly cut short.

But six weeks after the tragedy, flowers left at the scene of the smash are giving residents an unwanted reminder of a night of anguish, from which they would rather move on.

Richard Warner, 19, died when he lost control of the car he was driving and crashed into a tree in Beckfield Lane, Acomb, in May.

His three passengers were all injured.

Hilary McElroy, who lives nearby, witnessed the full horror of the accident and spent time comforting one of those hurt before the emergency services arrived.

She said she shares the grief of the families involved, but has to relive the trauma of what happened every time she sees the flowers tied to the tree near her home.

She is now calling for the tributes to be removed so she and other residents can move on.

"I have much sympathy for the families of everyone involved, and especially for the family of the dead man," said Mrs McElroy, who has two sons of her own.

"However, having watched the flowers on the tree die and decay over the last few weeks I need to ask: of what comfort to these people are they?

"Everyone who comes to visit sees the flowers and asks about the crash and I have to talk about it, which I would rather not have to do."

The tributes left immediately after the accident have now been replaced by fresh flowers commemorating Richard's birthday.

More than a dozen bunches, together with cards, have been tied to the tree in his memory, including tributes from relatives and friends.

Mrs McElroy said she feared the flowers would be replaced each year on Richard's birthday or on the anniversary of the crash.

"I understand their grief, but it was bad enough to have to deal with the crash, and I just think it would be better if this was kept as a private matter for the families to deal with privately."

Mrs McElroy said she would ask whoever was leaving the flowers to take them away and look at them in the privacy of their own home.

"Please leave us to get on with our lives without the constant reminder," she said.

David Young, principal engineer (highways development) at City of York Council, said: "This is a sensitive and tragic situation, and some people do feel the need to grieve by placing floral tributes at the scene.

"The council would not wish to interfere in the grieving process but if the site was not being maintained after a period of time, we would sensitively tidy it up."

The Evening Press was unable to contact the family of Richard Warner.