A mum has revealed the devastating moment she realised she had lost her three-year-old daughter in a crash on the M6.
Faye Dawson was travelling home from Blackpool illuminations in the car with her mum Beth and Beth’s partner Karl, on November 19th last year, when the driver of a Porsche Boxster was travelling towards them in the wrong direction.
The Porsche crashed into the family, who were heading back to Wallasey, and burst into flames in what witnesses described as a ‘fireball’ as debris scattered across the carriageway.
Beth regained consciousness to see crowds gather around Faye’s body and it was at this moment she knew her baby girl was dead.
Beth told Lancs Live the next thing she remembered was waking up in the hospital to the agonising reality of Faye’s tragic death sinking in as her whole world was torn apart.
Beth and Karl both suffered serious injuries in the collision while the driver of the Porsche 79-year-old Terence Unsworth from Preston, died after his car burst into flames.
Beth said many people kept telling her she was lucky to be alive but that she ‘wished she’d died too’ so she didn’t have to live with the agonising heartbreak of having lost her daughter.
An inquest into Mr Unsworth’s death on Thursday, November 2nd, held at Preston Coroner’s Court, heard how the 79-year-old ‘unfathomably’ indicated to turn right before making a U-turn onto the opposite side of the motorway, driving in the wrong direction.
After colliding with Beth’s car, his Porsche was consumed by flames.
PC Rachel Carberry, of Lancashire Constabulary’s Collision Investigation unit, said when Mr Unsworth reached the end of the entry slip road and indicated right, he turned to face oncoming traffic and accelerated for nine seconds before he collided with Beth’s car.
“It was a clear and obvious turn in the wrong direction,” PC Carberry said.
The inquest heard it was impossible for Beth to have taken evasive action to avoid the collision as the officer added: “You wouldn’t expect to come across a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction.”
No faults or defects were found with either of the two vehicles and conditions were dry and well-lit.
Having watched the footage of Mr Unsworth joining the wrong side of the motorway, which was not played in court, Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor said: “He doesn’t meander. He stops and simply turns. It seems to be a deliberate action.”
A post mortem, conducted by Home Office pathologist, Dr Alison Armour found that Mr Unsworth had suffered acute-myocardial thrombosis, although she was unable to determine if this had happened before or after the collision.
Returning to the conclusion of the road traffic accident, Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor said: “I think the difficulty with instances such as these is that we would all like to understand Mr Unsworth’s decision-making but it seems that we will never be able to do that.
“I have seen the CCTV and there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about his driving except for the decision, not only to indicate to turn right, but to perform a U-turn and proceed down the motorway the wrong way.”
Following the tragic collision, the family released a tribute which read: “Our beautiful Faye Grace, words will never express the heartache we are all going through since you were tragically taken from us.
“We can’t see the future without you, it has left a massive hole in our lives. Everyone says how precious their daughter/granddaughter is but you were an exception, you were such a clever little girl who was very funny and had us all laughing all the time.”
It continued: “You were so loving and caring and above all very loved by everyone who met you. You’re now at rest with your great nanny, great grandad and Uncle Jimmy.
“Words won’t justify how much we are all going to miss you and how much we all love you. Your mummy is being so brave and she will continue to make you proud.
“You were too little to be taken away from us, but we know the angels will look after you and they’re lucky to have you dancing in the sky with them.
“We are all so heartbroken that you were taken far too young but we are so glad that we got to have you for the time we did. RIP baby girl, we are all missing you and will carry on forever. All our love.”
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour. The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham. “We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”