News
Reckless driver recorded inhaling laughing gas before tragic crash that killed girl, 15
He was sentenced on Monday at Preston Crown Court
The moment a reckless driver inhaled laughing gas at the wheel before his vehicle crashed and killed a 15-year-old girl has been captured on camera.
Cameron Hughes, 24, was filmed waving his hand in the air to music on his phone while he inhaled nitrous oxide– also known as laughing gas – from a yellow balloon.
His actions were caught on the camera phone of Bonney-Rae Barrow, 15, who was travelling as a passenger in his van.
Hughes, a courier from Blackley and family friend, had offered Bonney a lift in his Mercedes Sprinter van to meet her relatives for a meal at a restaurant in Lancashire.
In the footage, Hughes can also be seen taking both hands off the steering wheel while driving and using his mobile phone. All the while he pays little attention to the road.
As reported in the Manchester Evening News, Hughes failed to negotiate a left-hand bend on the slip road of the A56 at Huncoat.
His van hit the barrier and plunged five metres into the ravine below. The devastating moment of impact was also caught on camera.
The journey from Manchester to Great Harwood ended in tragedy as Bonney was thrown towards the windscreen in the crash and she suffered serious injuries.
Bonney died later in hospital. Hughes was thrown from the vehicle and suffered minor injuries. Neither Hughes nor Bonney wore a seatbelt.
Police say there were numerous close calls with other vehicles during the 35-minute drive.
Hughes drove into the hard shoulder at times and drifted between lanes. He also bounced off a kerb along the edge of a carriageway while travelling at 60mph.
Preston Crown Court heard how Hughes was driving the van at an ‘inappropriate speed’ as he approached the junction – on the northbound exit slip road of the A56 Accrington Bypass, at the junction of the A679 Burnley Road – at 7.20pm on July 7th.
Hughes, of Haddington Drive, Blackley, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison on Monday, October 30th. He was also banned from driving for eight years.
Judge Heather Lloyd said to Hughes: “This was quite a shocking piece of driving and a young 15-year-old life has been needlessly wiped out.
“It is a miracle that no other person was wiped out, including yourself. This was a tragedy waiting to happen.”
Following the sentencing, Sergeant Laura Kendall, from Lancashire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Bonney was a much-loved bubbly teenager whose life has been cruelly taken away.
“My heart goes out to her family and friends who have been so affected by her tragic loss.
“Cameron Hughes is entirely responsible for what happened that day in July. He chose to take nitrous oxide while driving, to use his mobile phone at the wheel and to drive dangerously.
“These avoidable actions led to the devastating collision that caused the death of Bonney.”
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
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.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
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.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
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.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
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.”
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