logo
Wrexham death crash junction safety improvements made

Wrexham death crash junction safety improvements made

BBC News2 days ago

Safety improvements have been made at a junction where a mum-of-three was killed in a crash.John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, voiced his concern after opening an inquest into the death Emma Jane Hill, who died after a collision on April 6.He issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report to Wrexham council over his fears of the lay-out and speed limit on the A534 at Holt and warned more people could be killed.Ms Hill, 43, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, was a passenger on a motorbike heading along the A534 which collided with a Mercedes car which emerged from the road into Holt.
Though the full inquest is yet to be held, Mr Gittins expressed concern about visibility at the junction for vehicles turning right towards Wrexham as the view could be obscured by signs or vehicles slowing to turn into the village.He also said the fact the speed limit changed from 40mph to 60mph (65km/h to 95km/h) meant vehicles would be picking up speed, creating an added risk.
"It is also my understanding that there have been previous collisions in this vicinity in the past," he wrote.He has now had a response from Wrexham council which said talks had been held about reducing the speed limit with colleagues from Cheshire West and Chester council as Holt borders the two counties.It also said the junction would "benefit from some minor alterations and we have already raised the sign on the junction to improve visibility".

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Next's best new-in home finds that look way more expensive than they are - with prices from £8
Next's best new-in home finds that look way more expensive than they are - with prices from £8

Daily Mail​

time25 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Next's best new-in home finds that look way more expensive than they are - with prices from £8

Next has been one to watch when it comes to designer looking homeware on a budget. And with prices from just £8, there's something for all tastes. Turning heads among interior design lovers with its blend of contemporary style, quality craftsmanship, and affordability, Next Home is one to have on your radar. From chic earthy tones upholstery to statement-making décor, the brand delivers trend-led designs that effortlessly elevate any space. With a keen eye on both seasonal trends and timeless elegance, Next continues to impress shoppers looking to refresh their homes without breaking the bank. And we're adding the new-in collection straight to our cart with key pieces, including picture frames from just £8. Next new-in homeware Set of 2 Relaxed Chenille Olive Green Aire Light Wood Leg Dining Chairs Scoring points for shape, texture and colour, these undeniably chic chenille olive green upholstered dining chairs are a great way to elevate your dining experience - the perfect blend of comfort and style. £360 Shop Cream Laurent Grid Rug Adding texture to your home, this rug has been crafted from a fine, dense pile to create a soft, cushioned feel underfoot. Better still, it looks far more expensive than its humble price tag, so it's ideal for those looking for a touch of sophistication and style on a budget. £139 Shop White Aegean Large Table Lamp Part sculpture, part table lamp, this is a showstopper for under £100. Adding texture and charm, this is a gorgeous way to add extra interest in a space without breaking the bank. £99 Shop Cream and Gold Linen Mount Photo Frame Perfect as a gift or to frame your favourite photo, this beautiful frame features an elegant gold-brass blend metal frame with a more unusual linen look fabric - a striking way to mount your photos around the house. £12 Shop Yard Forest Hebden Striped Towel These towels could easily pass for designer and are a great way of elevating your bathroom on a budget. Available in four colours and made from 100 per cent cotton terry, these are perfect for bringing out for guests. £8 Shop Orange Geometric Pouffe This pouffe wouldn't look out of place is a chic boutique hotel and at under £80 this is a seriously great find. The new Wilderness Pouffe is designed geometric pattern woven into the base and is a clever hack for extra seating when guests come over or to rest your feet. £80 Shop Natural Adelaide 4 Seater Dining Table and Bench Set Get ready to host this summer with the stunning Natural Adelaide 4 Seater Dining Table and Bench Set. Perfect for all your outdoor dinners and drinks, the minimalist bench set is classic enough to go with any outdoor set up and includes 1 x table and 2 x benches. £475 Shop Natural Clifton Tripod Floor Lamp Smart and stylish, this wood floor lamp is a charming addition to create atmospheric lighting in your home. With its natural, light washed wood finish it is paired with brushed brass accents to give this lamp a relaxed, country vibe. £150 Shop Pink Wavy Wooden Photo Frame You don't need to spend a fortune to add expensive looking accents in your home, as this pink wavy frame proves. A fun twist on a classic photo frame, and for under £10, it adds a pop of colour to any room in your home and is available in a selection of sizes with a kickstand to allow you to hang or display. £8 Shop

Sports Direct-owned gym blames former model's heatstroke sauna death on 'alcohol use and medication' as it fights £100k lawsuit by her actress daughter
Sports Direct-owned gym blames former model's heatstroke sauna death on 'alcohol use and medication' as it fights £100k lawsuit by her actress daughter

Daily Mail​

time41 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Sports Direct-owned gym blames former model's heatstroke sauna death on 'alcohol use and medication' as it fights £100k lawsuit by her actress daughter

A gym owned by Sports Direct has blamed an ex-model's sauna death on alcohol and medication as it battles a £100,000 lawsuit brought by her actress daughter. Mileva Brooks, 75-year-old mother of TV comedy actress Milanka Brooks, died after suffering heatstroke at an Everlast gym in Cheltenham in August 2022. Her daughter, who starred in TV sitcoms Benidorm, The Windsors and My Family as well as satire Black Mirror, is suing the Sports Direct-owned gym chain at London's High Court. A coroner's inquest in September 2023 found the pensioner died three days after being rushed to hospital when other gym users alerted staff that she had collapsed in the sauna and was experiencing breathing difficulties. But in their defence to the action lodged at London 's High Court, Fitness Ltd deny any blame. And they claim Mileva Brooks 'had a documented history of substance abuse, including but potentially not limited to alcoholism, along with medical conditions consistent with the use of prescribed medication'. Milanka, 41, found fame starring in a number of TV sitcoms after being cast in multi award-winning BBC1 sitcom My Family in 2000 after graduating from drama school. She had a regular role in ITV's Benidorm, playing Johnny Vegas' fiancée Ionela, as well as portraying Princess Svetlana in Channel 4's Royal family parody The Windsors and Nigel Planer's wife Elena in 2014 BBC2 comedy Boomers. She then found success in a high-profile role as a blue-faced alien crew member, Elena Tulaska, in the multi-Emmy Award winning Black Mirror episode called USS Callister in 2017. She has described her mother Mileva as her 'best friend in the world'. Mileva collapsed and died after using the sauna at the Everlast gym, in Henrietta Street in Cheltenham, on August 26 2022, having joined the gym six months earlier. Roland Wooderson, assistant coroner for Gloucestershire, recorded a narrative verdict after an inquest in 2023. She said the former model had 'died from the effects of heatstroke' after being 'found unresponsive in the sauna of the gym'. He had earlier heard medical evidence that Mileva's body temperature was 39.2C when measured by paramedics attending the scene. According to legal documents filed at London's High Court, Ms Brooks is now suing the gym's owners, claiming 'damages in excess of £50,000, but limited to £100,000'. The action comes in her role as administrator of her mother's estate for 'personal injury and consequential losses' and under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976. But in a defence now lodged with the court by Natalie Green for Sports Direct, the company claims the staff at the gym did nothing wrong. Ms Green said: 'The deceased had a documented history of substance abuse, including but potentially not limited to alcoholism, along with medical conditions consistent with the use of prescribed medication.' She added that a post-mortem had found traces of the antidepressant lorazepam and epilepsy drugs clobazam and lamotrigine in Mileva's system. The barrister said there had been a sign outside the sauna stating conditions of safe use, including: 'Do not use the sauna if you suffer from epilepsy.' She added: 'The defendant replies upon the totality of the said signages' content, in particular the full list of conditions mandating non-use of the sauna, which include those relating to prior alcohol use and or medication impacting on the advisability of sauna use. 'By the publication of such guidance to its members, the defendant acted reasonably in the discharge of its duty of care. 'In the alternative, should breach of duty be proved against the defendant, the court may be invited to reduce any award of damages on account of the deceased's contributory negligence. 'The deceased suffered from temporal epilepsy and therefore should not have been using the sauna.' Ms Green added that the gym group would be calling for expert evidence 'as to the potential effects of any prescribed or controlled substances or alcohol in her system at the point of accessing the sauna'. She also claimed that a member of staff checked the sauna twice during the time the former model was in there and saw no cause for concern. She added: 'The deceased was recorded on CCTV as having entered the sauna at 14.15. The CCTV coverage of the wet areas did not include the interior of the sauna for reasons of privacy and practicality. '(But) the contemporaneous evidence indicated that the deceased was lying down on an upper bench throughout her time in the sauna on a towel with her eyes closed and her head supported by a foam pool weight. It is a position consistent with normal sauna use. 'It is clear from the contemporaneous evidence that a visual check into the sauna would have been unlikely to have elicited any cause for alarm. 'It is not admitted that the deceased was slumped in the sauna. The deceased was lying in a conventional position for sauna use and concern was only raised as to the manner of her breathing just prior to the alarm being raised at 15.15. 'At 15.00 the deceased continued to lie in a normal position for a sauna user. The index incident is unique in the history of the defendant's operation of gym and spa facilities. 'The sauna in question was less than a year old at the material time and there was no evidence that the sauna was defective. 'Members were provided with comprehensive guidance as to their safe use of the sauna and there was in place an alarm button,' the Sports Direct barrister said. In online posts, Milanka Brooks has spoken repeatedly of the close relationship she enjoyed with her mother - calling her 'the light and inspiration of my life,' her 'partner in crime' and 'best friend in the world'. In 2020, Frasers Group, the Sports Direct parent company, bought a number of DW Sports Fitness locations out of administration and started the Everlast Gyms chain. By late 2023, they had nearly 60 branches located across the UK.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to change surname to Spencer 'amid fears Charles was delaying Archie and Lilibet's passports because the application included HRH titles'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to change surname to Spencer 'amid fears Charles was delaying Archie and Lilibet's passports because the application included HRH titles'

Daily Mail​

time41 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to change surname to Spencer 'amid fears Charles was delaying Archie and Lilibet's passports because the application included HRH titles'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle feared Archie and Lilibet's British passports were being held up at the behest of their grandfather the King over the use of their HRH titles, it was claimed today. The Sussexes are said to have become 'exasperated' about waiting months for their children's passports to arrive and believed it was being 'blocked' due to the use of their royal titles. The couple thought the application would take weeks and suspected it was because they wanted HRH on Archie and Lilibet's British travel documents. They then began exploring changing their surname to Spencer - a nod to Princess Diana, as revealed by The Mail on Sunday. 'The King hadn't wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names', a source close to Harry and Meghan reportedly told The Guardian. 'There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids'. The insider has claimed that Harry wanted Archie and Lilibet, whose fourth birthday yesterday was marked with a video of her mother and father twerking before her birth, to have HRH titles so when they are adults they retain the chance to become working royals, should they wish. However, Buckingham Palace has pushed back on the claims the King or any of his staff intervened. When asked if there was any objection from Charles or aides to the passports being issued with the HRH titles, a spokesman said: 'No' but declined to comment further. Buckingham Palace denied that the King or any of his aides had anything to do with the delays in issuing their passports A gift basket and HRH note sent to Meghan's friend, CEO of IT Cosmetics Jamie Kern Lima. Meghan's spokesman last month denied that has been using it for commercial gain On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. But according to reports their applications used the surname Sussex, not Mountbatten-Windsor, which Archie had on his previous US and British passports. The average wait for a UK passport is currently around three weeks. But apparently Harry and Meghan cancelled their initial standard applications after three months and reapplied using the UK Government's 24-hour passport service. But then their online meeting to fasttrack the applications was eventually cancelled at the 11th hour owing to a 'systems failure.' The Guardian's source claimed that Harry and Meghan feared officials in the UK were 'dragging their feet' because Archie and Lilibet's passport applications included the titles HRH. The insider added: 'Harry was at a point where British passports for his children with their updated Sussex surnames (since the death of Queen Elizabeth II) were being blocked with a string of excuses over the course of five months. 'Out of sheer exasperation he went to his uncle to effectively say: 'My family are supposed to have the same name and they're stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove, if this blows up and they won't let the kids be called Sussex, then can we use Spencer as a surname?'.' The couple then reportedly asked their lawyers to write to the HM Passport Office threatening to pursue a data subject access request relating to Archie and Lilibet's applications. Days later the two passports were reportedly issued with HRH titles and Sussex as the new surname. A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said: 'We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 's children.' The Home Office declined to comment. Meghan Markle posted a video of her and Prince Harry twerking in a hospital room before Lilibet's birth to mark her fourth birthday yesterday The Sussexes' use of HRH has proved highly controversial because the couple are said to have reassured the Queen that they would not use the title after they emigrated to the US. But then MailOnline revealed last month that Meghan Markle calls herself Her Royal Highness to friends - but has denied that in doing so she is flouting the Megxit deal agreed with the late monarch. The former actress, 43, sparked controversy after her friend Jamie Kern Lima shared a picture of a food hamper with a note that said it was 'With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex'. Although no laws were passed or documents signed to prevent their use, Harry and Meghan's agreement with the late Queen and senior officials was that they would stop using the word 'Royal' and their HRH titles after they quit duties and emigrated to the US to become 'financially independent' from the Crown. A spokesman for the Sussexes insisted that they do not use HRH titles for commercial purposes. A source close to the royal couple suggested that the image shared by Jamie Kern Lima was taken before the Duchess launched her As Ever brand in early March. In the podcast, Jamie Kern Lima claimed that she had been sent the jam last year. The Sussexes have never had their HRH taken away by Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles. The source close to the couple said that while Meghan and Harry do not publicly use 'HRH ', their titles remain. Last weekend The Mail on Sunday revealed how Prince Harry sought advice from Princess Diana 's brother about changing his family name to Spencer. Sources told Richard Eden that the Duke of Sussex actively explored ways to assume his mother's surname – a move that would have involved ditching Mountbatten-Windsor, used by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It is understood he discussed the issue with Earl Spencer – whose family seat is Althorp in Northamptonshire – during a rare visit to Britain, but was told that the legal hurdles were insurmountable. 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step,' said a friend of Harry. Nevertheless, the fact that he consulted the Earl over the issue – a proposal that would dismay his brother and father – is a vivid expression of the toxic rift with his family. Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. It combines the Royal Family 's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh 's adopted surname. Royal author Tom Bower has claimed that 'Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana'. If the name change had succeeded, Meghan's daughter, who is believed to have met the King only once, would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer, a more fulsome tribute to Harry's late mother. The move would be particularly hurtful to King Charles, who cherishes the Mountbatten name just as his father did.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store