'My young son made one silly mistake and paid with his life - here's my warning'
A mum has issued a heartbreaking plea after her son tragically died after getting on the back of his friend's e-scooter.
Jacob Calland, 14, was killed in a horror crash after he was riding through the junction at Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe in March. Sadly, the scooter collided with a car and came to rest on a third vehicle. Neither of the pair were wearing helmets at the time.
His mother, Carly, says she had previously warned her son about the dangers of e-scooters and wouldn't let him own one. Now, she is calling for a ban on the equipment for under 18s. The mum of two has already received overwhelming support since launching a petition to push for measures to be put in place.
The petition, which has already amassed almost 6,000 signatures in the space of a fortnight, states: "We think there is insufficient regulation around the sale and use of e-scooters. We believe the law continues to be broken without sufficient punishment and more here. Currently, e-scooters can be sold to people of all ages, leaving open the possibility that they may be used by children."
Carly wants mandatory licences and insurance, as well as helmets and safety equipment, a ban on carrying passengers and stricter punishments for those breaching or allowing breaches of law relating to the scooters.
She told the Manchester Evening News: "I've lost my son. I don't want any other family to go through what I'm going through. I'm not saying ban e-scooters completely, I'm saying let's put rules in place to make them safer. The police aren't properly enforcing the current law so people are doing what they want."
The 36-year-old said she's been "overwhelmed" with the support she's had so far. "We hit over 5,000 signatures in a week and a half," she said. "I've had so many messages of support, it's clearly an issue that a lot of people want resolved."
The video Carly shared details what happened in the immediate aftermath of the collision, including screenshots from social media of people questioning what had happened, and a phone call to Carly telling her Jacob had been in an accident.
The teenager suffered a serious head injury and was given urgent life saving treatment by paramedics at the scene, before being rushed to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. His condition deteriorated and he tragically died on March 27.
GMP says it takes action to tackle and reduce anti-social behaviour on motorbikes, e-bikes and quadbikes and will be using its platforms to help Carly spread her message around road safety, the dangers of e-scooters and Jacob's Journey in the coming weeks.
An operation launched 12 months ago has seen a number of arrests made and bikes seized from all over Greater Manchester. Officers dealt with more than 500 incidents during the first four months of the operation, making more than 50 arrests and seizing more than 125 bikes from areas such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Wigan.
PS Grogan, from the Force Prevention Branch, said: 'Here at Greater Manchester Police we are continuing with our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from the disruption and danger caused by anti-social behaviour involving e-bikes, motorbikes and quad bikes. We understand the frustration residents feel by reckless riding, and we're deploying every resource at our disposal - from specialist officers to cutting-edge surveillance technology - to identify offenders and hold them accountable.
'This isn't just about enforcement; it's about reclaiming our streets and ensuring families can enjoy their neighbourhoods without fear or disturbance. We're sending a clear message: if you choose to ride anti-socially in Greater Manchester, we will find you, and you will face the consequences.
'We are working with other agencies in Community Safety Partnerships, so that action can be taken against tenants where residents are responsible for anti-social behaviour. We also want to know where these bikes are being stored. Please reach out if you have any information that will help us in our quest to reduce motorcycle-related crime.'
To sign Carly's petition, visit the website here. If it reaches 100,000 signatures then it will be considered for a debate in Parliament.
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