Pictured: Teenage mother among six friends killed in head-on crash with 38-ton lorry

Driver Richard Bolton was killed along with five teenagers when the car he was driving collided head-on with a 38-ton lorry on a country road.

Mr Bolton, 23, had two sons, Jack, aged four, and Joe, two.

His front-seat passenger, 19-year-old Teela Chamberlain was the mother of a five-month-old boy called Tai.

Victims: Christopher Worrad and Carly Ann Arrindell, both 18, died in the crash

Last night police were still trying to find out what caused the collision on an unlit stretch of the A607 near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

However, pictures from the crash scene indicate the Mondeo may have been on the wrong side of the road as it tried to take a left hand bend.

Mr Bolton, of Beaumont Leys, Leicester, was doing four of the others a favour by collecting them from Skegness after a holiday there.

Mourned: Driver Richard Bolton (with toddler Joe) and front seat passenger Teela Chamberlain

Crammed into his Ford Mondeo's back seat were Christopher Worrad,18, of no fixed address, Emily Curnock,18, of Enderby near Leicester, Luke Whittle,19, also of Enderby, and Carly Arrindell,18, of Glen Parva, near Leicester.

Last night Mr Bolton's mother Alison Nelson said: 'He was always doing favours for other people. He and a friend had just gone to Skegness that night to collect four other friends.

'He was a loving dad, his kids were his world, as long as they were OK nothing else mattered. We are completely shocked by what has happened.'

Mr Bolton's partner Michelle White, the mother of Jack and Joe, said in a tribute on an internet site: 'I have loved you from the day I met you 14 long years ago and I will love you until the end of time.'

Killed: Backseat passenger 18-year-old Emily Rose Curnock

Emily Curnock's parents, Dave and Liz, said their daughter had been about to start studying as a veterinary nurse. 'It is such a waste of a beautiful life - the fact that she has gone is hard to come to terms with,' they said.

Christopher Worrad's parents, Sam and Garry, said in a statement that their son 'had a heart of gold'. They added: 'We are devastated by our loss.'

Monty Forster, the partner of Luke Whittle's mother Jo said: 'Luke was full of life and lived for his family and his cars. He was the best friend you could ever wish for.'

Carly Arrindell's parents, Tina and Rick Arrindell, spoke of their grief at losing their 'beautiful' daughter. 'The whole family has been left completely devastated,' they said.

Miss Chamberlain's family did not make a statement through the police but her relatives visited the scene of the crash last night and left messages with flowers.

Prayers were said for the victims at St Mary the Virgin Church at Thorpe Arnold, near Melton Mowbray.

Wrecked: The crumpled Ford Mondeo in which six people died

The crushed car is covered with green tarpaulin while the lorry's cab is left bent and twisted

The lorry which hit the car in a head-on collision, killing six people

A policeman stands at the scene of the crash on the A607

St Mary's vicar, the Reverend Sue Paterson, said: 'In a moment, several families' lives have been changed forever.'

People living near the crash scene claimed the A607 had a poor safety record but this was denied by the local authority.

A Leicestershire County Council spokesman said: 'The accident record for the bend in question shows no other personal injury accidents reported there in the past five years.'

The 48-year- old lorry driver, from Melton Mowbray, was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he was treated for chest pains.

He was arrested by police after the crash early on Thursday but released without charge.