Pensioner's devastated family say horror Anglesey crash 'will always weigh heavily on us'
Humphrey Pickering, 81, was driving a grey coloured Audi A8, which collided with Reverend Stephen and Katherine Burch as they walked along Alma Street, Beaumaris, on Wednesday, August 28 2024. All three died in the collision. On Monday, the family of Stephen and Katherine Burch called for 'stronger checks' on elderly motorists.
Mr Pickering lived in Colwyn Bay and his family described him as a 'much-loved husband, father, grand and great-grandfather, brother and uncle' and said he will be 'terribly missed by us all".
They also extended their sympathies to the Burch family, saying the crash will "always weigh heavily on us".
The family said: 'Humphrey Pickering was a lifelong learner who loved travel, learning new languages and experiencing new cultures.
"His career centred around libraries, learning, and bringing knowledge to communities throughout Europe and as far away as the South Pacific. He was a valued colleague, boss, friend, and mentor to many.
'In retirement he continued to serve his community through volunteering and was a member of rotary and town-twinning. He was also a keen gardener, tending his trees, flowers, and vegetables throughout the year.
'Our family want to thank the emergency services and members of the public who assisted at the scene, and to those who provided care and support to our mother, especially the staff at the Bulkley Hotel, who kept her safe until we were able to come to Beaumaris to be by her side.
'We also want to thank those who have worked tirelessly since, to uncover the events of that day and provide an explanation of what happened on that fateful day.
"These answers will help us move forward in our grief and are a small step towards our family accepting this tragic accident and the devastating loss to both our family and the family of Revd Stephen and Katherine Burch.
'We extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to the Burch family, we are devastated for their loss, a loss that will always weigh heavily on us. We hope the outcome of the inquest will also help them in some small way.'
The inquest into the deaths of Mr Pickering, and Mr and Mrs Burch took place in Caernarfon on Thursday, August 7. North West Wales senior coroner Kate Robertson concluded Mr Pickering had pressed his car's accelerator by mistake, before colliding with the couple.
A police collision investigator found his vehicle had gone from 25mph to 55mph after Mr Pickering pressed the accelerator three times in the five seconds before the tragic collision.
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