Death of man in 70s on a canal boat in Warwickshire 'unexplained'
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The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
OAP driver, 81, kills walking couple and himself after accidentally pressing accelerator instead of brake
An 81-year-old driver killed a walking couple and himself after accidentally pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake. Reverend Stephen Burch and his wife Katherine, both 65 and from Alcester, Warwickshire, died in a collision in Anglesey, on August 28 last year. 7 7 The couple were mowed down on the street after motorist Humphrey Pickering lost control on a sharp bend. He accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake in his Audi A8 automatic, an inquest heard. Mr and Mrs Burch were both pronounced dead at the scene. Ex-librarian Mr Pickering, from Colwyn Bay, also died at the roadside after his car smashed into the front of a house on Alma Street. He was not wearing his seat-belt and sustained fatal chest injuries. Caernarfon Coroner's Court heard the 81-year-old driver had been trying to navigate exiting a tight parking space. He was maneuvering the vehicle to allow for his wife Margaret to get into the passenger seat. However, a witness told the inquest he "lurched forward" and "appeared to panic" before the car "shot off down the road". CCTV footage revealed the Audi accelerate "abruptly" into four pedestrians, two of which were left minor injuries. Meilir Hywel, a forensic collision investigator for North Wales Police, told the hearing Mr Pickering's car had continued to accelerate on Alma Street. He nearly crashed into two cars before losing control on a 90 degrees right bend. Data recovered from the Audi revealed the accelerator was being pressed, while the brake was never activated. Mr Pickering was barrelling through the 20mph zone at 55mph before the fatal smash. It was previously reported that one witness said she had been in a hotel overlooking the scene when she heard a "loud bang". 7 7 7 She then watched "people trying very, very hard to do CPR". She said: "Everybody really rallied around, diverting the traffic and trying their best to give the people dignity, but it was pretty horrific." "The town is absolutely full of tourists and people walk down that street. It's just a beautiful, beautiful place." Another resident said on social media: "It happened right in front of us on the road beside the pier. "It's an utter tragedy for those directly affected by the crash. No warning, it happened completely out of the blue." Mr Hywel concluded the sudden acceleration was because of "pedal misapplication in applying the accelerator instead of the brake pedal in error". He said: "He was then unable to correct his error while driving a powerful vehicle." Mr and Mrs Burch's daughter Sarah Packwood told the inquest her mum "always put others first" and was "passionate about serving her community". She remembered her dad as someone who "actively shared his faith throughout his life" and was an "avid sports fan". But Ms Packwood did raise concerns over whether Mr Pickering had been fit to drive at the time. Mr Pickering's daughter, Helen Baxter, said he was an "active member of the community" who was "out in the garden every day in all weathers" and had "good" mental agility. She said he "loved to travel" and had four upcoming holidays booked. Senior coroner for north-west Wales, Kate Robertson, said she was satisfied the "most likely explanation" for the collision was the "pedal missapplication which has led to a sudden and unintended acceleration". She told both families: "There are no words that I can say that will ease the pain and suffering you will no doubt be feeling, have felt and will continue to feel, but you have all acted with huge dignity. "I am incredibly sorry for your loss in these tragic circumstances." Heartfelt tributes poured in for Mr and Mrs Burch after news of the tragedy broke. A spokesman for the Diocese of Coventry said: "It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Steve and Kathy Burch have been tragically killed while walking along Beaumaris Pier on the Isle of Anglesey. "Steve was a popular member of our diocese and well known for his good humour and unwavering faith and many will also know Kathy well from her work with CPAS and worship ministry. As a couple they were still very active in retirement, running an alpha course leading to baptism and confirmations. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve and Kathy's family at this time especially their children, David, Jonathan and Sarah as they come to terms with this devastating, unexpected loss." A tribute from the Great Alne Cricket Club read: "Steve has been a GACC member for well over 20 years, holding various positions including Sunday captain, secretary, and most recently, chairman. A cherished member of the club, Steve racked up 1190 runs since records began. "Best known for his unperishable forward defensive, he also took 15 wickets during his bowling days. His efforts in the field were unquestionable, and commitment to ensuring that the club succeeded in whatever format shall remain legendary. "Both Steve and Kathy were vital members off the field, too. Steve would regularly score for the Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday teams; a role which is invaluable but often forgotten. Kathy was well known in Great Alne for her tremendous cricket teas, enjoyed by all who were able to tuck in."
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Zoe Ball ‘frozen and in tears' after yob smashed car window and stole bag while she was on The One Show
ZOE Ball has revealed she had a "massive cry" after a yob smashed her car window and stole her handbag while she was on The One Show. The radio and TV star, 54, was recounting a recent appearance on the prime time BBC show on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley. 2 2 After fun catching up with pal Vernon Kay, the good vibes from the studio quickly faded when Zoe returned to her shattered window. She explained: "Someone had smashed the front window of my car, that's never happened to me before." Initially left "frozen" by the upsetting find, Zoe used a festival poncho in the car to cover the damaged window. She then blasted the Radio 2 country show at ear-splitting volume as she carefully drove the 64 miles home to Brighton. Zoe was relieved nothing of value was taken, though she admitted: "I got in and I had a massive cry." "It was good, I love a big blub. The ones where you wake up in the morning and your face is a bit swollen and you're like, 'Well, I'm glad I got that out'." She partly blamed herself for the theft, having left her bag on display. She explained: "Do you know what I did? I did a stupid thing, I was so busy running into The One Show with my suits and my bag and everything. "And we were going to do a picture with our Spotify picture, which was amazing, and I left a bag on the front seat. Big no, no in London, idiot. Luckily, nothing in it except my diary." In solidarity, Jo then shared how she had a phone pinched from her hand in a street mugging. She said: "Just a boy on a bike just literally snatched it from my hand. "And then you having something like this, it's just so disappointing that people would do that to another person."
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
BBC viewers cringe at Kemi Badenoch's 'fields of wheat' moment
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch opened up about snitching on a fellow student, who was cheating on his exams, while at school in a BBC interview - and viewers have slammed the politician BBC viewers have cringed their way through Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch 's latest BBC interview after the politician made a candid admission about her school days. The 45-year-old sat down with BBC presenter Amol Rajan to speak about her life and career - however, there's one particular anecdote of Badenoch's that left fans baffled throughout the hour-long programme. Speaking about how she despises rule-breaking, Badenoch admitted that when she was "about 14 or 15", she stood up in an exam and accused a boy of cheating. "That boy ended up getting expelled," she said. "I didn't get praised for it. I was a relatively popular kid at school, and people said, 'Why did you do that, why would you do it?' I said, 'Because he was doing the wrong thing.'" It comes after Nigel Farage unveiled an ex-Tory who made racist remark on WhatsApp as its newest defector. BBC viewers quickly took to social media to slam Badenoch's confession, with many labelling it her 'field of wheat' moment - referring to the interview in which Theresa May said in the run-up to the 2017 election that the naughtiest thing she ever did as a child was "run through the fields of wheat". "@KemiBadenoch I think I prefer @theresa_may, running through the fields of what," one viewer wrote. While another said: "It's a mystery why Kemi Badenoch isn't popular with the electorate..." A third viewer said: "Whoever is advising Kemi Badenoch hates her." A fourth added: "Who is advising Kemi Badenoch. No way she is winning PM with the way she has been moving." Elsewhere in the interview, Badenoch revealed that she lost faith in God after Austrian man Josef Fritzl 's horrific crimes came to light. Fritzl kept his daughter imprisoned underneath his home for 24 years. Badenoch said: "I couldn't stop reading this story. And I read her account, how she prayed every day to be rescued. "And I thought, I was praying for all sorts of stupid things and I was getting my prayers answered. I was praying to have good grades, my hair should grow longer, and I would pray for the bus to come on time so I wouldn't miss something." She added: "It's like, why were those prayers answered, and not this woman's prayers? And it was like someone blew out a candle. I rejected God, not Christianity. So I would still define myself as a cultural Christian."
