Ed channelled grief at tragic bus crash loss into hit

ED Sheeran poured the grief he experienced at his friend dying in a bus crash into the song that launched his music career, it has been reported.

The 27-year-old singer, pictured, was just a teenager when classmate Stuart Dines, 14, died on a school trip 12 years ago.

In the midst of his pain, Sheeran, who was not on the trip at the time, decided to write down his feelings, penning the song We Are – which became one of his most popular songs when he started gigging around London.

An excerpt from the book Ed Sheeran, by Sean Smith, reads: ‘Ed had to come to terms with the death of someone he saw practically every day. He resolved to write a song about his feelings. He composed it, he said, “whilst I got round to actually accepting it.”’

Stuart’s father Robert said: ‘Ed was very, very upset, like a lot of the children.’

Stuart died when two coaches carrying British children on half-term ski holidays were involved in a freak motorway pile-up in Germany. A piece of metal from a lorry smashed through one of the coach windows killing Ed’s friend. The second, smaller, coach then collided with the vehicles.

The moving lyrics include: ‘Leaves have fallen to the ground/ And now there’s no-one else around/ To hear the cry.

‘I saw your body /I saw your face/ Loss of presence/ Loss of grace/ Behind those eyes.’

He goes on to sing: ‘I miss your laughter / I miss your tears/ I miss your rambling /About your fears /Your smile/ The crowed has gathered /All around/ No-one’s speaking/ No-one makes a sound /And I.../ And we break down.’ The Mail has contacted Sheeran’s representatives for comment.