Complaints about a roadside memorial to a young crash victim have sparked outrage among his friends and family.

KCC wants to move the colourful tribute to Adrian Stroud, which is placed at the scene of his death along the Old Thanet Way in Herne Bay.

Large letters, surrounded by fresh flowers, messages and photos, spell out the 23-year-old’s name, with the site still regularly visited five months after the tragic crash.

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But road safety chiefs say they have received a number of complaints from the public, claiming the shrine is a distraction to passing drivers.

This week, up to 40 family members and friends gathered at the scene to protest against the “cold-hearted” gripes.

Among them was Adrian’s father, storeman Andy Stroud, 50, who said: “I received a couple of phone calls from someone at the council saying a few people had complained about it and the memorial must be moved to another location.

“But that would be pointless because we want it at the place where Adrian died. I cannot see that it is doing any harm and the police haven’t complained.

“Just standing here watching the traffic go by, no one is taking any notice of it whatsoever and it is set back from the road. It’s not causing any problem for anyone.

“It’s staying put as far as I am concerned.”

One of Adrian’s best friends, Ben Turner, said: “A lot of time and effort went into building it and you can see the strength of feeling about it by the number of people who have turned out to support the memorial staying here.”

The memorial was built within days of the crash which claimed Adrian’s life in the early hours of April 19.

The car enthusiast, from Margate, was pronounced dead at the scene after his Volkswagen Golf collided with two other vehicles near the junction with Eddington Lane.

The future of the memorial remains in doubt, with Kent County Council confirming it is in discussions with Adrian’s family.

A Facebook group has even been set up to save it, attracting close to 2,000 members.

Council spokesman John Todd said: “Following a fatal crash on the Old Thanet Way earlier in the year, local residents and drivers have raised concerns about the memorial and safety issues for pedestrians and passing traffic.

“We understand Kent Police are still investigating the crash, and our thoughts are with relatives and friends of the deceased.

“We have to sensitively balance their interests with those of local residents.

“As a result, we have approached a member of the crash victim’s family to discuss the matter.”

Adrian’s death sparked an outpouring of grief across the county, with hundreds of people flocking to the scene of the crash to pay tribute.

A 20-year-old from Sittingbourne arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving is still on police bail.

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