HUNDREDS of well-wishers turned out today to pay their respects at the funeral of a teenage boy who was fatally injured in a car accident.

Macauley Clements, 16, of Carpenter Close, Ixworth, died on Friday, January 25, in hospital - the day after he was seriously hurt in a road traffic collision on the A14 at Bury St Edmunds.

He had been a passenger in a BMW driven by his friend, 19-year-old Adam Weller, who had grown up in Ixworth and died at the scene of the crash.

Macauley, who been a member of the Ixworth Army Cadet Force, had been due to go to Pirbright last week for selection and aspired to join the Coldstream Guards.

The former Thurston Community College student was also passionate about riding his BMX bike and Aprilia motorbike, he loved sport and supported Leeds United Football Club.

Funeral-goers entered St Mary's Church in Ixworth to Who You'd Be Today by Kenny Chesney - which was Macauley's favourite CD.

Reverend Jill Walker said the number of people who had turned out 'speaks volumes' of the love and affection everyone had for Macauley.

'His death with his friend Adam will be such a terrible shock and it's hard to find the words to express the grief you feel. And you are never prepared for death, especially a young son, brother, grandson, nephew, friend and neighbour.

'I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say our hearts go out to Anton [father], Maxine [mother], Aaron [brother], Jordan [brother] and Gordon [grandfather] and of course to all his many, many friends who have come here today to pay their respects.'

She said the family had been 'comforted' and 'overwhelmed' by the love and wonderful tributes they had received from so many people.

Rev Walker said Macauley, who attended Ixworth Primary School and Ixworth Middle School, was 'very popular, very loyal to all his friends, he always put others first'.

She added: 'He was described as a fantastic young man, polite, fun-loving, happy and always smiling. He attended one day a week at the West Suffolk College doing motor mechanics and that's something he absolutely adored. He had also had many holidays abroad.'

The reverend read out tributes from his brothers, mother and father and grandfather.

Maxine and Anton said in their tribute: 'You will be missed every day, but the 16-and-a-half years you gave us were truly special. You packed a lot into you short life and lived every day to the full.

'We are so proud of you and everything you did, especially wanting to join the Army. We know you would have made an amazing soldier and would have been a credit to your regiment.

'There's now a link missing out of our family which will never be replaced. We will always hold you close to our heart and remember all the good times we shared.'

Well-wishers left to My Religion by R.E.M.