Joe Cairns, 14, from Radcliffe, died in a crash on the M58 in Bickerstaffe, West Lancashire, in January 2019 after the minibus he was travelling in was hit from behind by a HGV driven by James Majury.
Joe and a support worker, Anne Kerr, were killed an…
The vehicle collided with a bridge between Crewe and Sandbach.
The lorry spilled its load and the road engineers had to assess the damage[1] to the bridge.
Diversions were put in place and queues of up to three miles were reported.
A spokesman for Nor…
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In 2023 we welcomed a number of new restaurants and bars into the fold – from the dazzling Greek restaurant[1] from the team behind Tattu and Gordon Ramsay’s ‘1930s Tokyo-inspired’ eatery Lucky Cat[2], to hit American chicken joints like Popeyes[3] and…
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Oxford Mail review of the year: April to June (Image: Newsquest)As 2023 comes to a close, we are looking back on some of the biggest news stories which have taken place this year.Here, we are looking at what happened in the second quarter of the year b…
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April
The closure of Botley Road[1], a major route into Oxford[2], began in April.
Network Rail closed the key ro…
Frustrated residents have hit out at plans to build a new recycling centre on a site already used for landfill in Bury[1]’s green belt
Valencia Waste Management wish to develop land at the Pilsworth South Quarry near Pilsworth Road, just to the east of…
The sister of a woman killed in a crash by a HGV driver from Chorley who was checking Facebook on his phone is calling for tougher penalties for people who text drive.
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James Majury, 33, of Milton Road, Coppull, hit a school minibus on the M58 in Lancashire[2] in January 2019 with his 19.2 tonne truck, killing pupil Joe Cairns[3], 14, from Bury, and teaching assistant Anne Kerr, 50, and seriously injuring others while distracted by his phone.
Ms Kerr’s sister, Elaine Wyper, said her death had left a lasting impact on the family: “It’s been awful. It’s that empty seat at a table at Christmas.
“My dad never, ever got over it. He passed away last year and he could never accept that Anne was gone and also the sentence that the lorry driver got.”
Anne Kerr’s death has left an unbearable void in the lives of her family and friends
Mobile phone records showed Majury, of Milton Road in Coppull, Chorley[4], had been using his phone throughout his journey.
During his trial, it was heard he sent texts, made calls, used sports apps, opened a medieval fantasy game and finally scoured Facebook[5] while behind the wheel.
He only noticed the minibus carrying children to Pontville School, a special needs school in Ormskirk, half a second before the impact.Despite braking hard, his lorry hit the minibus at 50mph.
Majury admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years and 10 months. He was also banned from driving for nearly 10 years.
James Majury from Chorley had been using his mobile phone at the wheel moments before the fatal crash
How you can get a share of £25m in cost-of-living help if you live in Preston, S…
Ms Wyper is now calling for tougher penalties for people who use their phones while they drive.
“How anyone, especially a lorry driver driving a nineteen tonne truck would think it was acceptable to open his phone and play games, send texts, make phone calls. Everything that you just don’t do when you’re driving.
“The judge at the time said, effectively, it was a nineteen tonne battering ram. There was hardly anything left of the minibus Anne was in.
“People[7] who witnessed it have contacted me to say it will live in their mind forever because it was so horrendous.
“I think there’s a heck of a lot of work still to do.”
She said people “still think ‘I won’t get caught'”.
Ms Wyper added: “I think there needs to be tougher sentences, bigger fines and longer lengths of bans if you are caught.”
Storm Fergus was named by the Irish meteorological service, Met Eireann.
Trains, flights, ferries and car journeys could be disrupted by the bad weather, while seafronts and coastal communities may be affected by spray and large waves.
Met Office[1] me…
Storm Fergus was named by the Irish meteorological service, Met Eireann.
Trains, flights, ferries and car journeys could be disrupted by the bad weather, while seafronts and coastal communities may be affected by spray and large waves.
Met Office[1] me…
Storm Fergus was named by the Irish meteorological service, Met Eireann.
Trains, flights, ferries and car journeys could be disrupted by the bad weather, while seafronts and coastal communities may be affected by spray and large waves.
Met Office[1] me…
Storm Fergus was named by the Irish meteorological service, Met Eireann.
Trains, flights, ferries and car journeys could be disrupted by the bad weather, while seafronts and coastal communities may be affected by spray and large waves.
Met Office[1] me…
Drivers are being hit by delays this evening after a crash on the M60 and M62 tonight.
Travel service Inrix says: “Three lanes closed and queueing traffic due to accident on M60 clockwise from J17 A56 Bury New Road (Prestwich / Whitefield) to J18 M66 J…