RUGBY club officials have dedicated a victory in a cup competition to the memory of their teammate Danny Edwards, who was killed in a car crash.

The 18-year-old died after his car left the road and hit a tree on the A518 Uttoxeter to Stafford road near Popinjay Farm on Monday, February 22.

Danny and his family, including father Kelvin, have strong links with Uttoxeter Rugby Club.

Players and officials, together with hundreds of supporters, observed a minute's silence before the start of the club's RFU Junior Vase 17-12 semi-final victory over Coventry Welsh at the Oldfields Sports Ground last Saturday.

Julian Beattie, club president, said: "It was a difficult day because of the emotion of the occasion.

"The team struggled at first but the players all wanted to win the game for Danny.

"I think they will be focused on the final to win it for Danny. His family have been the driving force behind the club."

The semi-final was attended by around 400 spectators at the Oldfields Sports Ground.

The final has been pencilled in for the Easter weekend at Oldfields and it will be against either Evesham or Pinley of Coventry. Danny lived with his parents Kelvin and Angela and his two sisters, Kelly, aged 15, and Katie, aged eight.

He played for the town's rugby club and was a popular student and musician with the band Picture This.

His funeral will take place next Friday at St Mary's Parish Church in Uttoxeter at 1pm and will be followed by interment in the town's cemetery on Stafford Road.

Students from Thomas Alleyne's High School and Sixth Form, where Danny was studying, are expected to pack the church.

The hearse carrying his coffin will travel from the family home in Stone Road, Uttoxeter.

Flowers will be welcome and any donations in memory of Danny will be given to a charity of the family's choice.

One week after the fatal crash, police carried out roadside checks, taking registration numbers of cars in a bid to trace potential witnesses. Inspector Gary Haynes, commander of Uttoxeter Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said the operation had lasted about two hours and the registration numbers of around 40 vehicles had been taken.

The information was being evaluated in an attempt to establish the cause of the accident, which happened at around 7.25pm.

Officers investigating the collision have appealed for help to trace a car that stopped near the scene.

A dark car, travelling from Uttoxeter towards Stafford, stopped a short distance from the collision afterwards.

Its driver was seen to get out briefly before driving off.

Inspector Jon Staite, who is overseeing the inquiry, said: "There isn't any evidence that this car was involved in the collision, but we are keen to speak to its driver as soon as possible in case they witnessed anything significant.

"We would ask them, or anyone who knows who they might be, to contact the investigating officer, PC 4407 Richard Boulter at Uttoxeter Police, on 0300 123 4455."