THE devastated family of a young man killed in a road crash paid tribute last night to the “cheeky and cheerful” 20-year-old.Budding drummer Jason McCarthy, of Heath Road, Swaffham Bulbeck, near Newmarket, died after the car he was in was involved in an accident with a Vauxhall on the A1303 Dullingham Crossroads.

THE devastated family of a young man killed in a road crash paid tribute last night to the “cheeky and cheerful” 20-year-old.

Budding drummer Jason McCarthy, of Heath Road, Swaffham Bulbeck, near Newmarket, died after the car he was in was involved in an accident with a Vauxhall on the A1303 Dullingham Crossroads.

His father, Christopher McCarthy, said he would remember his son as a happy-go-lucky young man who had coped bravely with the death of his mother, Sandra Hay, to cancer when he was only a teenager.

Mr McCarthy said Jason was just working out what he would like to do with his life when it was cut tragically short.

A popular youngster in the village where he lived, Mr McCarthy said Jason loved his friends, his music and his football.

He had been training to be a scaffolder while taking occasional work on local building sites but the youngster's passion was drumming.

His grandfather Alan Hay said: “He had a real flair for playing the drums - he would love to jam with a friend who played the guitar in a shed at the back of his house. It was a great love of his and I think he had a great talent.”

Mr Hay said his grandson had been thinking of forming a band.

“I will remember him as a cheeky and cheerful - no one who met him could dislike him - he was lovable. He used to test his mother but she would always end up smiling - he couldn't hurt a fly.

“So much hope for the future has been lost - everything except the memories has died with him.”

Mr McCarthy spoke of the deep sadness felt by the whole family including his young daughter, Chrissandra, 14, who is following in her brother's footsteps as a student at Bottisham College.

He also spoke of his son's bravery at the death of his mother to cancer in 2000 when he was just 14.

“He was like any other young lad,” he said. “It is difficult to say what he would have liked to do with his life - he was only just starting out.”

Jason was a passenger in a black Ford Fiesta when it was involved in a collision with a silver Vauxhall estate at 7.35pm on the A1303 at the Dullingham crossroads at Swaffham Bulbeck in Cambridgeshire.

The 19 year-old driver of the Fiesta from Langford, Bedfordshire was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, with whiplash injuries. The driver of the Vauxhall, aged 50 from Newmarket, was also taken to Addenbrooke's where he was treated for shock.

Cambridgeshire Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash or anyone who may have seen either car before the incident to contact Sgt Steven Watson on 08454 564 564.