A family member of one of the teenage boys killed in a horror crash at the weekend has expressed concern at a planned ‘car meet up’ to remember the victims.

The boys, all aged between 15 and 16, died when an overloaded car smashed into a power pole with such force the car was split in two.

Niko Hill was one of the boys who lost his life. His Aunty Aimee Cunningham said this is not the way her family would ever honour his memory.

On Chris Lynch’s Facebook page she wrote “this is a stupid idea. When his step dad’s close friend died, his group of friends got together and went head to head in a game of basketball, as that’s what his friend was passionate about, and that’s what they do each year to honour him.”

Aimee said Niko loved rugby. “I don’t know the other boys so can’t say what they enjoyed doing.” But she urged his friends to honour him in a “much smarter and thoughtful way instead of “putting together something so bloody stupid such as the same thing that killed them – bunch of idiots whoever thought this up, honestly.”

It follows comments made by Timaru Boys’ High School Rector Dave Thorp who expressed concerns of a “gathering of vehicles” to remember the boys who lost their lives.

He wrote on the school’s Facebook page “due to the likely age of the participants and some very real safety concerns, the police do not want this event to take place. If you hear that your son is involved in this, please discourage him from attending. We will do the same at school.”

Timaru District Council Mayor Nigel Bowen told Chris Lynch last night the local inspector had serious concerns about the planned meet up.

“The driver did not have a full license, and if we’re dealing with 15 and 16 year olds, these kids aren’t going to have full licenses.”

He said “I understand everyone needs to mourn, but the last thing we want as a community is to have another death for all the wrong reasons.”