Inquests open after teens’ death crash
INQUESTS have been opened and adjourned into the deaths of two teenagers involved in a crash after a day the seaside.
Jennifer Woodhouse, 18, and Lara Meldrum, 19, died in the collision between a Peugeot and a Volvo on the A158 at Hagworthingham, near Horncastle.
Inquests were opened on July 4 by Lincolnshire Coroner Paul Smith and they have now been adjourned to a future date for a full hearing.
The Coroner’s Office said that post-mortem examinations had been carried out, but conclusions regarding the medical cause of the deaths were still pending.
Both Ms Meldrum, of Arnold, and Ms Woodhouse, of Alfreton, had planned to begin their studies at the University of Sheffield this year.
Ms Meldrum’s family said: “Lara was a fun-loving girl whose kind and caring nature touched so many of her friends all over the country.
“We will miss her jumping on our bed every night to chat before we slept. We will miss her taking days to bring her washing and dishes down.”
They added: “We will miss her stealing our phones and taking random pictures without us knowing. We will miss her charming ability to get a lift to college despite having just been given money for the bus.
“We will miss her fake tan that made her look like a tiger loaf on day 3. We will miss her so much.”
Ms Woodhouse was described by her family as a “force of nature.” They said she was “a beautifully kind-hearted, hard-working, caring and empathetic young woman with the whole world ahead of her”.
Shortly after the crash, residents in the village spoke of their sadness at the deaths. Karen Tayles, 62, from DGS Quality Used Goods, in Church Lane, Hagworthingham, said: “I’m shocked to hear these two young women have been killed in this crash. What a waste of two young lives. It’s so sad.”
A neighbour, Josephine Price, 81, said: “It’s dreadful.
“Those two women were so young – they’ve lived no lives.
“I have no idea about the circumstances of this crash but there are a lot of crashes along there. Most weekends you hear sirens where there’s been an accident.”