A coroner has apologised to a grieving family after they missed the inquest into their teenage son's death.

The family of Dale Stoakes, from Selby, said they were "devastated" after the coroner's office failed to inform them about the inquest date.

Now North Yorkshire Coroner Jeremy Cave has offered to meet them to discuss the inquest statements and answer any questions.

Dale, 17, was killed in a smash after his 100cc scooter collided with a car in wet conditions in Union Lane, Selby, in September last year.

Dale lived with his father Keith and girlfriend Lucy Tyman at Station Cottages, Barlow, and worked at Selby's Pendant Aluminium factory.

His mother, Julie Barton, 42, said she had been ringing the coroner's office in Harrogate for the last four weeks, leaving messages on the answerphone, to try to find out the inquest date.

She said: "When I eventually got through to someone, they said they were sorry but it had taken place last Wednesday.

"We cannot believe it. We desperately wanted to hear all the details and reports about how Dale died and how he was killed in the crash.

"I can't describe how I feel. It was the last part of Dale and we wanted to say goodbye properly, but now that's been taken away from us as well.

"The coroner has since apologised to me but I'm too upset to meet him at the moment."

Mrs Barton said after her son's death she was told the coroner's office would inform them of the date of the inquest, but they did not receive a call.

She added: "Both myself and my other two children are now having counselling, and this doesn't help at all."

Lucy, 17, said today that she and Dale's father had also not been told about the inquest date.

She said: "The first we knew about it was when someone came up to me and said it was in the local paper. We're both very angry and upset."

Today Mr Cave said: "The family not being informed about Dale's inquest is very regrettable, and I have apologised on behalf of the coroner's office.

"I have offered to meet them and go through things."

Updated: 11:36 Thursday, April 12, 2001