Mother's plea after son died in hit-and-run: Someone must know who killed my boy
'Someone knows something' – the desperate plea of a mother urging the public to give up vital information to catch her son's killer.
It has been eight days since the driver of a car that hit teenager Adam Jones callously left him to die at the side of a road in West Bromwich.
But Adam's distraught family are calling for help to find the person behind the wheel of the blue Volkswagen Bora.
Adam, aged 15, from Wednesbury, was a keen Baggies fan and in the video the player urges people to come forward with information. Foster's appeal adds to calls from leading officers at West Midlands Police for information after the accident.
Hundreds of people have flooded the campaign's Twitter page. There is also an online campaign to raise money for a garden in his memory, which has raised more than £1,700 so far.
The car slammed into the bike ridden by Adam as he was crossing the junction of Beacon View Road and Walsall Road just after 7.30pm on March 26.
The renewed appeal comes as the police released photos of the Bora car showing distinctive stickers on the rear window.
They contain crude messages that police believe could jog people's memories about the accident and the vehicle involved.
Adam's mother Mandy in a Twitter message said: "The longer this goes on the worse it's gonna be. Someone knows something."
West Bromwich Albion will be showing the pictures at half-time during their home game against QPR on Saturday.
This will be preceded by the video appeal from Foster asking anyone who recognises the car and knows the driver to contact police. "Everybody at West Bromwich Albion was really upset to hear about Adam. Please watch this video and if you can help, contact the police immediately," Foster says on the video.
Club spokesman Martin Swain said Adam's family had been invited to watch the match as guests of the club.
He said: "Obviously, we were upset to read the story about what happened and with Adam being a member of the Albion family it struck home and we wanted to do all we can to help the police track down who was responsible."
The memorial fund page at ww.gofundme.com was set up by S J Cooper, who said: "Thank you so much to all that contributed, to Adam and his family you are all amazing. You have a beautiful heart."
A number of tributes have also been posted on the page, including from Chelsea Nock, who wrote: "RIP Adam. We're going to miss you so much!! You were a funny, cheeky kid and we're going to miss the laughs we had! Especially the one in the cabin!!"
Chris and Rich Bradley said they felt moved to donate to the appeal.
They added: "Neither of us knew Adam, but when a tragedy like this happens to a young lad with so much to look forward to, you can't help but feel devastated for all of Adam's family and friends, so any contribution made by people all goes to giving this young man the kind of send off he deserves and the kind his family would want him to have. Well done to the people who set all this up, an amazing idea and a help to Adams parents. Rest in peace."
The impact of the collision flung the keen horse rider through the windscreen of the car and he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The driver abandoned the vehicle and ran away without calling for assistance for Adam.
Insp Paul Bennett, head of the force's collision investigation unit, said: "We have been overwhelmed with the response to our appeal and I would like to thank everyone who has contacted us, although I would still urge anyone who has information, no matter how small they think it is, to contact us.
"Every piece of information is vital in an inquiry as thorough as this. We are continuing to sift through all the information we have as well as conducting a detailed examination of the car which includes a full forensic examination and any evidence will be fast-tracked."
The car, with the registration number MA52 XVV, displayed stickers on the rear windscreen, which could be deemed offensive but will have made the vehicle more distinctive.
Meanwhile, specially trained officers are continuing to liaise with Adam's family at this difficult time.
Insp Bennett added: "Our thoughts remain with Adam's family and we are determined to find the person responsible for his death to help them come to terms with their loss. We fully support their efforts to raise awareness and funds for a memorial for Adam and are pleased that West Bromwich Albion, of whom Adam was a devoted fan, has supported their cause."
Call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
