And the parents of the 24-year-old from Whitnash, who died in a car accident last November, have spoken of the reasons why more than 400 people came to their son's funeral.

Avril and Peter Baker paid tribute to Ashley who was also known as 'Ash' by his tight-knit group of friends who included his best pal Tom Barker.

Mrs Baker said: "He was fun and loving - you couldn't ask for a nicer son. We used to go into town and he would come to the gym with me."

Ashley's father added: "He was full of life - he would always meet us in town and come and have a drink with us. He loved his friends as well."

Coroner: reason for crash may never be known. Click here

Ashley was born on August 28, 1983, at the former Warneford Hospital.

He attended Briar Hill Infant School before going to St Margaret's Junior and then on to Myton School before spending a year at Warwickshire College.

He then became a car valeter at Charnwood Cars in Kenilworth, where he and his boss Ashley French were known as 'Big Ashley and Little Ashley'.

Mr Baker said: "It was a job he loved and enjoyed. He was always a hard worker, he never sat on his backside. The lads at his work are really missing him - they're finding it hard to come to terms with."

Ashley played for the Leamington Sunday League division four side Tazmanian Cruisers and his mother said he always gave "110 per cent" for them despite suffering injury problems.

But he was most talented at fishing and was a member of the Whitnash Royals team during his teens.

His mother also explained how he was protective of his younger brother Sam, 22.

Mrs Baker said: "Ashley brought pleasure to everybody - the family just loved him."

Her husband added: "He was a loveable character - nobody seems to have a bad word to say about him.

"You can tell by all the tributes to him on Facebook."

Mr Baker described the family's sense of loss.

He said: "You never get over it, you just learn to live with it, which is the hard thing."

l Avril and Peter Baker have thanked the family liaison officer who helped them in the months following Ashley's death.

Praising the support of Pc Keith Dyson from Warwick-shire Police, Mr Baker said: "He has been a rock to us. They have got the right man for the job. Nothing has been too much trouble for him.

"At a difficult time, it was nice to have him around."