A Bicester teenager fighting for his life after a crash that killed four of his friends was said yesterday to be "responding well" to treatment.

Matthew Simpson, of Montgomery Road, Caversfield, is in a critical condition at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital after the accident near Westbury, between Brackley and Buckingham, early on Sunday.

His father Mark said the 17-year-old, who was a passenger in a blue Ford Fiesta that crashed into a tree on the A422 Brackley Road, had regained some consciousness and was fighting his injuries.

He added: "Matthew is responding well but is fighting for his life. He's alive but has a lot of injuries.

"Matthew has woken up, but has not spoken and is not aware what has happened and that's something that will have to be broken to him when and if he recovers.

"He's a healthy young man, a great example of what life should be - people enjoy his company - and he's a nice lad.

"He works hard and as his dad, he makes me very proud."

The 17-year-old was not the driver, as was initially reported by some media, in the crash that claimed the lives of James Bowyer, of Marsh Gibbon; Lee Grimshaw, of Brackley; Edward Manders-Naden, from Calvert Green, and Kirk Nokes, from Buckingham, who were all 18-years-old.

Matthew, has a 19-year-old sister Hayley, who is at university in Leicester, and step-siblings Luke, 14, Lauren, 13, who attend Bicester Community College, and Max, 10.

Mr Simpson, who runs M & S Electrical in Bicester, said: "Matthew lives with his step-brothers and sister, his step-mum Sam and me in Caversfield. His mum Jane Meakin lives in Buckinghamshire.

"We had to tell his brothers and sisters very quickly, as the incident had been picked up by the media. This was frustrating but we live in the real world. We're a very big family and are remaining strong."

Matthew, who works for his father as an apprentice electrician, played for Bicester Rugby Club since he was eight years old and is the fly-half of the club's Colts team.

His dad said: "He has lots of friends within the rugby club. Some of his friends who have died played rugby in Buckingham. He's very active and his whole social life revolves around rugby.

"He has a long way to go. He has lots of good friends and is going to need a lot of support from them."

Meanwhile, Marsh Gibbon Football Club chairman Marcel Turner paid tribute to James Bowyer, who was friends with her son Steven and joined the club at eight.

Ms Turner said: "Like a lot of the lads in the village, Steven went to four schools with James.

"The lads played football together and went out together. James was one of the lads. He was very friendly, always said hello, was polite and a good friend of the family."