A football coach killed in a horrific crash may have been trapped in his car for up to 10 hours before being discovered by a passing farmer.
Kieran Innes – described by his devastated family as a “loveable rogue” – died in a one-car smash on the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee road, just north of Forfar.
The emergency services were called to the scene just before 8am on Tuesday.
But yesterday, dad Norman said the tragic accident could have happened 10 or 11 hours earlier while his son was exploring Angus in his new car.
The silver motor was found overturned on an overgrown embankment, and was barely visible to passing traffic.
The 48-year-old, of Aberdeen, said: “He was just one of these guys who’s not long passed his test, just bought his first car and loved driving.
“He would just say ‘I’m going away for a drive in my car’, and away he would go.
“We don’t know where he was going. He stopped at Brechin and took a photograph of the football pitch there.
“And I reckon it was about 9pm to 10pm, he was hungry and I think he was heading for the McDonald’s at Forfar.
“It was just before then the accident happened, and that’s all we know.”
A keen footballer, the former Northfield Academy and Hanover Street pupil was a coach for the Middlefield Wasps club.
His heartbroken family yesterday described him as a selfless individual, who always worked hard to help the less fortunate.
Mum Mandy, 46, said: “We’re still in total shock, it’s just devastating.
“He was cheeky, and a brilliant kid. He had a fantastic personality, he was the life and soul of the party.
“He got a Diana Trust award at Northfield for taking part in the Bully Busters programme.
“He was bullied when he was in first and second year, so that was his way of giving back.
“It’s a programme to stamp out bullying, and Northfield was one of the first to run it, and he went round showing other schools how to do it as well.”
Mr Innes’s brother Sean, 21, and little sister Jessica, 18, also paid tribute to their beloved brother online.
This weekend, the Middlefield Wasps will be holding a minute’s applause at every game in his memory, having described him as a “true gent” who “didn’t do silence”.
Mr Innes sen added: “He absolutely loved his football, he was football daft and we’re so proud of all he’s done through his coaching.
“He also did coaching for disabled kids as well, he completed a coaching course in Falkirk just so he could do it.
“He helped a lot of different kids, some that were autistic, some that were deaf, some that had physical disabilities.
“It was just the kind of guy he was, always helping people.
“He was a loveable rogue.”
Police are still investigating the crash, which happened between the B957 Tannadice junction and the A926 leading to Quilkoe, on the southbound carriageway.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.