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uk Thursday, February 22, 2018 5

News

Inquest hears Cue John Virgo... to honour ‘Buzz’

Tributes to
Jack left on
railings at
the scene. SNOOKER legend John Virgo will played for Rolleston. The night will
be visiting a club – in a special raise funds for the club and Burton’s

how young men

tribute to a stalwart former member
who died last year, at the age of 78.
Virgo, also famed for his appear-
ances on 1990s TV snooker show Big
Break and his TV commentary
Queen’s Hospital oncology and
haematology departments.
John Brandon, secretary of Rolle-
ston Club said: “John Virgo is well
known to those who follow snooker

Leon and Jack

work, has been invited to Rolleston
Club this weekend in memory of
David “Buzz” Bentley, who had been
a member of the club since 1952.
The event to celebrate his life has
been made more poignant since the
on television and his unique brand
of humour coupled with many trick
shots should make the evening one
to remember.
Doors open at 7pm, on Saturday,
with Virgo scheduled to start his

met their death

death of his wife Julie on February 1. performance at 7.30pm. More than
The 78-year-old was an active mem- 90 tickets have already been sold and
ber of the local snooker league and is expected to be a sell-out. John Virgo

Leon Curd

in crash on
on his
motorcycle.

major city road

BY CHRIS
HARPER
P: 01332 411999
E: newsdesk@
derbytelegraph.co.uk
T: @DerbyTelegraph

AN inquest has heard the tragic

details of how two young men died in
a crash on a major Derby road.
Jack Redman was crossing
Raynesway, in Spondon, when he
was in collision with a motorcycle
ridden by Leon Curd, who was on his
way to work.
Leon, 23, was pronounced dead at
the scene and 19-year-old Jack was
rushed to Queen’s Medical Centre in
Nottingham where he died four days
later as a result of his injuries.
Derby and Derbyshire Coroners’
Court was told that Jack, who was
from Alvaston, was on his way to his
girlfriend’s house when he took a
“common shortcut” through a gap
in a barrier across the A5111 instead
of crossing at nearby traffic lights.
He crossed the northbound car-
riageway in a diagonal direction and
Iain McGregor, a former forensic
police collision officer, said he was
Floral tributes left for Leon Curd
Jack Redman, 19 at
the scene of the crash.
most likely “walking with a pur- would have been travelling at or the pedestrian’s field of view for have made it difficult for Leon to Assistant coroner Louise Pinder
pose” while he crossed the road just below the 50mph speed limit. eight or nine seconds prior to cross- spot. concluded that Jack had died as a
before 9pm on August 1, 2016. Mr McGregor said: “I’m of the ing the A52. Investigating officer Darren Par- result of multi-organ failure and
He said that Jack may have been opinion that the pedestrian may “Leon would have needed to act kin, of Derbyshire police, said that traumatic brain injury as a result of
unaware or misjudged the speed of have looked, misjudged the speed of immediately to prevent a collision to witnesses reported hearing a bang being stuck by a motorcycle and
Leon’s oncoming Honda CBR 500, the motorcycle, failed to see it or he’s happen. He would have only had 2.9 “like an explosion” when the crash Leon died as a result of his injuries
which was approaching from the not looked at all. I struggle with that seconds to react. The collision would happened. He added that he had seen at the scene.
A52 exit, and that Leon would have last one but it has to be considered. have been inevitable.” other pedestrians using the exact She added: “I would like to apo-
not have had enough time to react to “The motorcycle would be illu- The court heard that the condi- same shortcut not long after the logise to the families that this has
avoid a collision. He added that he minated and the headlight was tions during the night of the crash crash. Another guard rail has since taken so long to conclude and I hope
could not fully calculate the speed of turned on. The headlight was there were windy and wet. It was also been erected to prevent people from this can supply some small comfort
the vehicle but he believed that Leon to be seen and would have been in noted Jack’s dark clothing would using the shortcut. to the families involved today.”

Major bridge work set to start

TU

month before school holidays

EN DAY
ES

save
DS 8

New
floor. MAJOR roadworks will start on Bur- a wide berth in the three months it
PM

ton Bridge a month before the start
of the school summer holidays.
New on a choice of Three lanes out of the four on the
main route into Burton will be
was closed for repairs and wanted
time to recover. The latest work was
therefore delayed until June.
Despite initial plans for a com-

look. laminate and vinyl closed for essential repair work, due
to begin on Monday, June 18.
plete closure of the bridge, engineers
have now finalised a programme

25%
VINTAGE CLASSIC It is scheduled to last for up to 11 that will allow for one lane to be kept
HISTORIC OAK LAMINATE weeks and be completed before open – apart from on two nights,
Was £23.99m2 schools reopen in September. when a full closure will be necessary,
The work had been planned to Burton Bridge said a Staffordshire County Council
OFF Now £17.99m 2 start at the beginning of this year will be closed spokesman.
but was postponed amid fury from from Monday, Mark Deaville, Staffordshire
businesses hit hard after the closure June 18. County Council’s cabinet member
of the town’s other main bridge over with responsibility for the scheme,
Pay nothing
0% free credit the River Trent – St Peter’s Bridge – said: “The £6.1 million scheme to
DET-E01-S2 DET

DET-E01-S2 DET
last year. The repairs to the two safeguard both gateways is hugely
for 6 months Subject to status APR representative Spread the cost up to
T&Cs apply 4 years, with no deposit bridges are part of a £6.1 million important for the people of Burton,
improvement scheme. as without this investment St Peter’s
carpet laminate rugs vinyl beds Burton Bridge was due to close Bridge would ultimately have closed
carpetright.co.uk | 0330 333 3444 immediately after the reopening of and drivers using Burton Bridge
Terms and conditions apply. Subject to status. Please ask for details. Carpetright plc, Purfleet Bypass, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1TT acts as a credit broker and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Credit is provided by Hitachi Personal Finance, a division of Hitachi Capital (UK) St Peter’s Bridge. However, busi- would have faced frequent delays
PLC authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Terms and conditions apply. Ask in store for details. nesses found shoppers gave the town due to on-going repairs.”
4