Teen Noah Campbell, 13, Killed in Hit-and-Run as Two Charged

Noah Campbell, a 13-year-old boy from Flitwick, Bedfordshire, was pronounced dead at the scene after a car struck him and two other teenage boys on Greenfield Road at 11.50pm on Friday. The two surviving boys were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Two of the three had been riding a bike; the third was on a scooter.

The driver of the car fled immediately after the collision. Officers located a blue BMW with significant damage on a nearby street, which led to the arrests. Jamie Fountain, 24, of Fir Tree Close, Flitwick, has since been charged with a total of seven offences: causing death by careless driving; causing death by careless driving while over the legal limit for alcohol and drugs; two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving relating to the other two boys; failing to stop at the scene of an accident; failing to report an accident; and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Ellie Ireland, 23, of Wingate Drive, Ampthill, has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Both were remanded in custody and are due to appear before Luton Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Noah's family, in a statement issued through Bedfordshire Police on Sunday, described a boy whose life was defined by sport and the people around him. "Noah was a fun, bright, handsome, athletic and incredibly well-liked boy," the family said. "Above all else, he cherished spending time with his friends and family; they were the heart of his world." Football was his primary sport, with Noah turning out for multiple local teams, but the family noted he also excelled in rugby, cricket and athletics, calling him "a talented and versatile sportsman." The statement closed with the words: "We are utterly devastated; Noah's death has left a hole in our lives that will remain forever."

Detective Sergeant Shona Searle, of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit, acknowledged the depth of feeling in the town following the death. "This incident has sent shockwaves through the small community of Flitwick and the surrounding area, and we maintain a community policing presence around the scene for reassurance," she said. DS Searle also asked the public to refrain from speculating on the circumstances while the legal process is under way.

Flitwick is a commuter town in Central Bedfordshire with a population of around 13,663, situated approximately five miles from Junction 12 of the M1 motorway. The charges against Fountain, particularly the allegation that he was over the legal limit for both alcohol and drugs at the time of the collision, ensure the case will carry significant weight when it moves through the courts.