A HEARTBROKEN mum is urging drivers to take extra care after three members of her family were killed when their car swerved to avoid a deer.

Andrew Pain, 31, his brother-in-law Greg Brooks, 39, and his father-in-law Stephen Hughes were killed when their Mercedes saloon skidded sideways off the A4074 Oxford to Wallingford road near Nuneham Courtenay and hit two trees.

The three men were travelling back to the family home on June 4 when a deer ran into the road.

Now Mr Pain’s parents Kathy and James Pain, from Ipsden, near Wallingford, have spoken of their grief and urged others to be aware of the dangers.

Mrs Pain said despite living in Oxford for 24 years she had no idea there were deer in the area.

She said: “After the accident we went down the embankment to the crash scene and we could hear the sound of animals. Andrew happened to be driving through at dusk on a sharp bend.

“They saw the deer in a split second and didn’t have time to even think about how to react.”

She added: “Drivers will have no idea of the risk. To come from this tragedy, we would like more information about the dangers drivers face.

“Deer are that close to fast roads around Oxford and people need to slow down.”

Mr Pain was travelling home with his new wife Sarah, 29, and her sister Angela Hughes-Brooks, 37, along with his father-in-law and brother-in-law when a deer ran into the road.

The couple had married in Baltimore, USA, 10 weeks earlier.

Swerving to avoid the animal, Mr Pain’s car left the road and struck a tree, killing the three men and seriously injuring the two sisters. All five had spent the day in Henley-on-Thames celebrating the couple’s wedding, punting on the river before heading back into Oxford for a meal at an Indian restaurant.

Andrew Pain moved to Oxford when he was seven and attended the Dragon School, in Bardwell Road. After graduating from Aberystwyth University he moved to London where he worked in property.

His mother said: “The family was incredibly close. Andrew was the most sensitive, kind, loving brother to all his siblings. And his wife is suffering massively at the moment.”

After the accident Mrs Hughes-Brooks climbed out of the car and managed to flag down a coach driver who dialled 999.

Mrs Pain added: “The family would like to thank those people who took the trouble to stop.”

At an inquest, Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter recorded three verdicts of accidental death.

Last year in the Thames Valley there was one death and nine serious injuries as a result of road accidents involving animals, according to the Department for Transport.