THE Ebbw Vale driver of a car which crash-ed, killing both him and two young passengers, had been banned from driving, police have revealed.

Richard John Watkins, aged 24, from Rassau, had been disqualified from driving four times and was still banned, South Wales Police confirmed yesterday.

Friends David Bradshaw and Kyrion Parmee, both aged 14 and from Trehafod, who were having a lift from Watkins, died when his white Ford Escort XR3i was in collision with another car. The accident happened on the A4058 Trehafod bypass, Porth, at about 9.30pm last Friday.

Police said it appeared the Escort lost control and travelled sideways along the carriageway before crashing into a white Ford Fiesta travelling in the opposite direction. The Escort split in two following the impact.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 34-year-old woman, suffered a leg injury and the front seat passenger, her 14-year-old son, had slight injuries. The pair, from Maerdy, had to be cut free from their vehicle.

Police say Watkins was last banned from driving in June after admitting drink- driving, and the ban was extended to three years after he was caught driving while disqualified.

The parents of David and Kyrion said they could not understand what their sons were doing in the car with the man. Kyrion and Watkins both died at the scene of the smash. David died in hospital two days later.

South Wales Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or saw the Escort being driven before the collision, to contact the Northern Roads Policing Unit at Treforest on 01656 655555.