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Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Promising footballer, 16, texted girlfriend to say his father had hired a 'banging' Mercedes - moments before they died when it hit telegraph pole and flew into canal
A promising footballer texted his girlfriend to say his father had hired a 'banging' Mercedes moments before they both died when the car they were test-driving struck a telegraph pole and flew into a canal. Grimsby Town youth team player Cameron Walsh, 16, and his father David, 40, suffered fatal injuries when the car they were travelling in left the road and plunged into a canal. An inquest into the father and son's deaths heard they were taking the SUV out for a spin on a road which was 'undulated and uneven'. Now, Marianne Johnson, assistant coroner for Greater Lincolnshire, has called for quicker reviews of serious accidents after hearing evidence that dangerous roads are only reviewed annually. An inquest heard Cameron and Mr Walsh were travelling in a Mercedes GLC300 on January 6 last year. The car left Tetney Lock Road in Tetney, East Lindsey, Lincs, and entered a canal. Despite rescue attempts, the pair were pronounced dead at the scene. It was reported that Cameron and Mr Walsh had hired the hybrid automatic Mercedes from a dealership and were test driving it. A police officer, who gave evidence at the inquest, said the road was 'undulated and uneven' and had a speed limit of 60mph. He said he believed the car was driven too fast for the road conditions, it was reported. It was heard that the vehicle rotated after hitting the pole and eyewitnesses described seeing it 'airborne' before entering the water. While it was unclear who was driving the vehicle, the coroner said on the balance of probabilities, it was Mr Walsh. Coroner Ms Johnson has now issued a warning saying that reviews of dangerous roads are not carried out quickly enough. She said more motorists are at risk of crashing at sites where they have previously been collisions because the reviews don't happen quickly enough. In her prevention of future deaths report, Ms Johnson said: 'During the evidence provided by the Highways Department, the Highways Officer reported that road traffic collisions, where there are injuries or fatalities that may have been contributed to by the condition of the highway, are not immediately reported directly to the Highways Department by the Police. 'The Police complete a Stat 19 Form which is then sent to the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership. 'The information from the Stat 19 Form is then collated and placed onto the WINGS software programme which is a Council owned software programme. 'This information is reviewed on an annual basis where the types of incidents are considered along with the traffic flow on that road and it gives a score. 'Based on the score there is then a ranking of sites where there has been more than one collision within a set area (known as a Cluster). 'The score is used to decide where the Highways Department should intervene first on looking at potential safety improvements. 'The Accident Investigation Team and the Road Safety Partnership then look at each of those Cluster Sites and investigate those sites. 'Consideration will then be given to what improvements could be made to the highway to reduce the risk of future incidents. 'As these reports are only considered annually there is the possibility that other incidents can occur prior to the annual review that could have been prevented had a report been made to the Highways Department at the time of the incident.' She addressed the report to Lincolnshire County Council Highways Department and Lincolnshire Police, who have 56 days to respond. In a statement released earlier this year, Grimsby Town Football Club said: 'Grimsby Town Football Club extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Cameron and his father David Walsh following the conclusion of the inquest into their tragic passing. 'Cameron was a valued member of our academy, and we remember him not only for his talent on the pitch but for his character, dedication, and the positive impact he had on those around him. 'Their loss is deeply felt by everyone associated with the club. 'We acknowledge the findings of the inquest and remain committed to ensuring the highest levels of care, support, and wellbeing for all players within our academy and wider club community.'
Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Gifted footballer and his dad die after Mercedes flips upside down into canal
Cameron Walsh and his dad David were test-driving the blue Mercedes GLC 300, which a witness said landed "roof first" in the canal at Tetney Lock in rural Lincolnshire A teenager and his dad died after the car they were test-driving flipped upside down into a canal, an inquest heard yesterday. Cameron Walsh, a 16-year-old prodigy for Grimsby Town, drowned with dad David after the Mercedes hit a pole and plunged into a canal at Tetney Lock in Lincolnshire. Their inquest yesterday heard the car "flew off the road" and flipped upside down into the water. Firefighters smashed a window to get inside the Mercedes GLC 300, a car David had been test-driving after hiring it from a dealership, but he and his son were pronounced dead at the scene on January 6 last year. The pair had been trapped underwater for a "prolonged" period - up to 45 minutes - according to the inquest held at Greater Lincolnshire Coroner's Court on Wednesday. The cause of death was recorded as drowning. Marianne Johnson, assistant coroner for Greater Lincolnshire, said she would file a report to prevent future deaths. READ MORE: Oakley bus crash: Witnesses tell how 'girl, 16, was thrown from top window' of double-decker Just minutes before the horrific crash, it was revealed that Cameron was messaging his friends about the car. The coroner also heard a woman who was driving along the road saw the blue Mercedes GLC 300 doing a "snaking action" and she assumed the driver was "trying to gain control". Roberta Smith, who made the 999 call, said in a statement read at the inquest the Mercedes "flew off the road and into the canal", appearing to be "airborne" before it landed "roof first" in the water. Another witness described seeing a blue car being driven "erratically and at speed". Forensic collision investigator PC Nick Prestwich told the court that he cannot say definitively who was driving the car. He said: "The collision occurred partly due to the manner of driving of the vehicle across an undulating road, at which point the vehicle lost control and entered the verge adjacent to the canal. "It then traversed across the grass verge before striking the telegraph pole, causing the vehicle to rotate. It carried on travelling into the canal." Speaking about CCTV footage, PC Prestwich added: 'You can see that vehicle is swerving around on the road surface. It appeared to be travelling reasonably fast - whether that was in excess of the speed limit, I don't know. It's my belief the car was driven too fast for the road conditions.' The coroner said it's most likely that Cameron was driving the car when the crash happened. The teen was messaging his friends on Snapchat about the car - with one message event sent one minute before the car is believed to have entered the canal. The teen also a message to his girlfriend saying that the car his father hired was 'banging'. A statement from another friend of Cameron's read: "I knew his parents were thinking about getting a new car. Cameron was messaging me about how much his dad liked the car they were test-driving." Tetney Lock Road was described as a 60mph single track road with "no road marks" and an "uneven" and "undulating" surface. In a statement read in court, the family said that Cameron and David were 'two beautiful people' who were 'full of life'. They said: 'David was the most selfless person to grace the earth, his kindness was unheard of. He embraced his role as a father figure with unmatched warmth. "Cameron's personality lit up the darkest of rooms. Cameron was a gentle giant. When you were with Cameron you always knew he was there."
Scottish Sun
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Grimsby Town star, 16, and dad died after Mercedes went ‘airborne' before plunging into canal during tragic test drive
Cameron and David were described as 'two beautiful people' who were 'full of life' CRASH TRAGEDY Grimsby Town star, 16, and dad died after Mercedes went 'airborne' before plunging into canal during tragic test drive Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GRIMSBY Town star and his dad died after the car they were test-driving flipped upside down into a canal. Cameron Walsh, 16, and his dad David, 40, drowned after their Mercedes hit a pole and plunged into a canal at Tetney Lock, Lincolnshire, a court heard. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Grimsby Town youth team star Cameron Walsh, 16, and his father died in January last year Credit: Grimsby Town FC 6 Dad David Walsh also died in the accident Credit: PA 6 The inquest into their deaths opened on Wednesday Credit: MEN Media The car 'flew off the road', struck a telegraph pole and then flipped upside down into the water, an inquest at Greater Lincolnshire Coroner's Court heard on Wednesday. Emergency services rushed to the scene on January 6 last year, with fire officers smashing a window to get inside the locked car. Cameron and David were trapped underwater for a "prolonged" period - up to 45 minutes - according to the inquest. The pair were pronounced dead at the scene, with drowning recorded as the cause of death. Just minutes before the horrific crash, it was revealed that Cameron was messaging his friends about the car - hired from a Mercedes dealership. A woman who was driving along the road saw the blue Mercedes GLC 300 doing a 'snaking action' and she assumed the driver was 'trying to gain control', the coroner heard. The statement of Roberta Smith, who made the 999 call, was read to the court. She said the Mercedes 'flew off the road and into the canal', appearing to be 'airborne' before it landed 'roof first' in the water. Another witness described seeing a blue car being driven 'erratically and at speed'. 6 Cameron was a 'powerhouse' on the football field, his family said Credit: PA Air India sole survivor almost collapses with grief after carrying his brother's coffin at funeral No mechanical defects were considered likely to have contributed to the crash, the inquest heard. Forensic collision investigator Pc Nick Prestwich told the court that he cannot say definitively who was driving the car. He said: 'The collision occurred partly due to the manner of driving of the vehicle across an undulating road, at which point the vehicle lost control and entered the verge adjacent to the canal. 'It then traversed across the grass verge before striking the telegraph pole, causing the vehicle to rotate. It carried on travelling into the canal.' Speaking about CCTV footage, Pc Prestwich added: 'You can see that vehicle is swerving around on the road surface. 'It appeared to be travelling reasonably fast - whether that was in excess of the speed limit, I don't know. It's my belief the car was driven too fast for the road conditions.' The coroner said it's most likely that Cameron was driving the car when the crash happened. The teen was messaging his friends on Snapchat about the car - with one message event sent one minute before the car is believed to have entered the canal. He also a message to his girlfriend saying that the car his father hired was 'banging'. A statement from another friend of Cameron's read: 'I knew his parents were thinking about getting a new car. Cameron was messaging me about how much his dad liked the car they were test-driving.' Tetney Lock Road was described as a 60mph single track road with 'no road marks' and an 'uneven' and 'undulating' surface. Richard Fenwick, head of highways services for Lincolnshire County Council, said Tetney Lock Road is inspected every three months. He said the last inspection before the crash - taking place in October 2023 - showed 'no recorded safety defects'. Richard added that an inspection four days after the crash also found no safety defects - but 'patching' work was carried out in March of this year to make the road surface more event. He said he believed the national speed limit was 'appropriate' for the road. Assistant coroner for Greater Lincolnshire Marianne Johnson concluded that Cameron and David had died in a road traffic collision. She added she would file a report to prevent future deaths. In a statement read in court, the family said that Cameron and David were 'two beautiful people' who were 'full of life'. They said: 'David was the most selfless person to grace the earth, his kindness was unheard of. He embraced his role as a father figure with unmatched warmth. 'Cameron's personality lit up the darkest of rooms. Cameron was a gentle giant. When you were with Cameron you always knew he was there.' They described Cameron - a Grimsby Town youth player - as a 'powerhouse' on the football field. In a tribute after the tragedy, Grimsby Town FC said: 'Cameron Walsh was an integral part of the GTFC academy. His passion for the game, coupled with his undeniable talent, made him a much-loved figure among teammates, coaches, and the entire Grimsby Town family." 6 The club paid tribute to Cameron in a statement Credit: Facebook
The Irish Sun
18-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Grimsby Town star, 16, and dad died after Mercedes went ‘airborne' before plunging into canal during tragic test drive
A GRIMSBY Town star and his dad died after the car they were test-driving flipped upside down into a canal. Cameron Walsh, 16, and his dad David, 40, drowned after their Mercedes hit a pole and plunged into a canal at Tetney Lock, Lincolnshire, a court heard. 6 Grimsby Town youth team star Cameron Walsh, 16, and his father died in January last year Credit: Grimsby Town FC 6 Dad David Walsh also died in the accident Credit: PA 6 The inquest into their deaths opened on Wednesday Credit: MEN Media The car 'flew off the road', struck a telegraph pole and then flipped upside down into the water, an inquest at Greater Lincolnshire Coroner's Court heard on Wednesday. Emergency services rushed to the Cameron and David were trapped underwater for a "prolonged" period - up to 45 minutes - according to the inquest. The pair were pronounced dead at the scene, with drowning recorded as the cause of death. Read more sports news Just minutes before the horrific crash, it was revealed that Cameron was messaging his friends about the car - hired from a Mercedes dealership. A woman who was driving along the road saw the blue Mercedes GLC 300 doing a 'snaking action' and she assumed the driver was 'trying to gain control', the coroner heard. The statement of Roberta Smith, who made the 999 call, was read to the court. She said the Mercedes 'flew off the road and into the canal', appearing to be 'airborne' before it landed 'roof first' in the water. Most read in Sport Another witness described seeing a blue car being driven 'erratically and at speed'. 6 Cameron was a 'powerhouse' on the football field, his family said Credit: PA Air India sole survivor almost collapses with grief after carrying his brother's coffin at funeral No mechanical defects were considered likely to have contributed to the crash, the inquest heard. Forensic collision investigator Pc Nick Prestwich told the court that he cannot say definitively who was driving the car. He said: 'The collision occurred partly due to the manner of driving of the vehicle across an undulating road, at which point the vehicle lost control and entered the verge adjacent to the canal. 'It then traversed across the grass verge before striking the telegraph pole, causing the vehicle to rotate. It carried on travelling into the canal.' Speaking about CCTV footage, Pc Prestwich added: 'You can see that vehicle is swerving around on the road surface. 'It appeared to be travelling reasonably fast - whether that was in excess of the speed limit, I don't know. It's my belief the car was driven too fast for the road conditions.' The coroner said it's most likely that Cameron was driving the car when the crash happened. The teen was messaging his friends on Snapchat about the car - with one message event sent one minute before the car is believed to have entered the canal. He also a message to his girlfriend saying that the car his father hired was 'banging'. A statement from another friend of Cameron's read: 'I knew his parents were thinking about getting a new car. Cameron was messaging me about how much his dad liked the car they were test-driving.' Tetney Lock Road was described as a 60mph single track road with 'no road marks' and an 'uneven' and 'undulating' surface. Richard Fenwick, head of highways services for Lincolnshire County Council, said Tetney Lock Road is inspected every three months. He said the last inspection before the crash - taking place in October 2023 - showed 'no recorded safety defects'. Richard added that an inspection four days after the crash also found no safety defects - but 'patching' work was carried out in March of this year to make the road surface more event. He said he believed the national speed limit was 'appropriate' for the road. Assistant coroner for Greater Lincolnshire Marianne Johnson concluded that Cameron and David had died in a road traffic collision. She added she would file a report to prevent future deaths. In a statement read in court, the family said that Cameron and David were 'two beautiful people' who were 'full of life'. They said: 'David was the most selfless person to grace the earth, his kindness was unheard of. He embraced his role as a father figure with unmatched warmth. 'Cameron's personality lit up the darkest of rooms. Cameron was a gentle giant. When you were with Cameron you always knew he was there.' They described Cameron - a youth player - as a 'powerhouse' on the football field. In a tribute after the tragedy, Grimsby Town FC said: 'Cameron Walsh was an integral part of the GTFC academy. His passion for the game, coupled with his undeniable talent, made him a much-loved figure among teammates, coaches, and the entire Grimsby Town family." 6 The club paid tribute to Cameron in a statement Credit: Facebook 6 Flowers at the scene of the crash Credit: Grimsby Telegraph
ITV News
18-06-2025
- ITV News
Father and son drowned on test drive after car entered canal in Grimsby, inquest told
A father and son drowned when the car they were test driving "flew off the road" and landed in a canal, an inquest has heard. David Walsh, 40, and his 16-year-old footballer son Cameron were inside a blue Mercedes GLC 300 which came off the road and hit a telegraph pole before landing on its roof in the water off Tetney Lock Road in Tetney, Grimsby, on 6 January last year. An inquest at Greater Lincolnshire Coroner's Court heard that fire crews smashed a window in the locked car, but the father and son were in the water for a 'prolonged' period of up to 45 minutes. A woman who was driving along the road told the inquest she saw the car doing a 'snaking action' and assumed the driver was 'trying to gain control' before the crash. A statement by Roberta Smith, who made the 999 call, was read to the court in which she said the Mercedes 'flew off the road and into the canal' and it appeared to be 'airborne' before it landed 'roof first' in the water. Another witness described seeing a blue car being driven 'erratically and at speed'. The inquest, attended by friends and family of the pair, heard there were no mechanical defects with the car which were likely to have contributed to the crash. Forensic collision investigator PC Nick Prestwich told the inquest he could not say definitively who was driving the car, but the inquest heard Mr Walsh was the only one insured on the vehicle. PC Prestwich said: 'The collision occurred partly due to the manner of driving of the vehicle across an undulating road, at which point the vehicle lost control and entered the verge adjacent to the canal. 'It then traversed across the grass verge before striking the telegraph pole, causing the vehicle to rotate. It carried on travelling into the canal.' Speaking about CCTV footage of the car on Tetney Lock Road, PC Prestwich said: 'You can see that vehicle is swerving around on the road surface. 'It appeared to be travelling reasonably fast – whether that was in excess of the speed limit, I don't know. It's my belief the car was driven too fast for the road conditions.' The investigator said that if Cameron had been driving, his lack of driving experience would have 'exacerbated' the situation. Assistant coroner for Greater Lincolnshire Marianne Johnson concluded that on the balance of probabilities, Mr Walsh was driving the car at the time of the collision. The inquest heard Cameron had messaged a friend on Snapchat with a picture of him inside the car before the friend replied 'Whose whip's that?' The teenager sent his final message at 1.37pm – one minute before the car is believed to have entered the canal. He also sent a message to his girlfriend at 1.25pm saying that the car his father hired was 'banging'. A statement from another friend, whom Cameron was also messaging about the car before the collision, was read to the court. They said: 'I knew his parents were thinking about getting a new car. Cameron was messaging me about how much his dad liked the car they were test driving.' Cameron and his father were pronounced dead at 2.58pm. Ms Johnson concluded they had died in a road traffic collision and said she would file a prevention of future deaths report. The cause of death was recorded as drowning. The coroner said: 'It would be helpful if, when there is a road traffic collision such as this, that the report from the police goes to the highways department rather than sits for a period of time before it is annually reviewed." In a family statement, the father and son were described as 'two beautiful people' who were 'full of life'. The statement said: 'David was the most selfless person to grace the earth, his kindness was unheard of. He embraced his role as a father figure with unmatched warmth. 'Cameron's personality lit up the darkest of rooms. Cameron was a gentle giant. When you were with Cameron you always knew he was there.' They described Cameron, who played for Grimsby Town Football Club, as a 'powerhouse' on the football field. In a tribute after his death, Grimsby Town FC said: 'Cameron Walsh was an integral part of the GTFC academy. His passion for the game, coupled with his undeniable talent, made him a much-loved figure among teammates, coaches, and the entire Grimsby Town family.
