‘I knew he was loved but this is something else’
TRIBUTES PAID TO DAD-OF-TWO
MOURNERS gathered in Stockton for an emotional balloon tribute to alleged murder victim Adam Chawla.
The dad-of-two died in hospital last Sunday after suffering “significant injuries” at a property on Eleanor Place in Bowesfield.
Three men have since appeared at Teesside Crown Court in Middlesbrough charged with his murder.
On Friday evening, dozens of people came together in Hardwick to remember the 27-year-old labourer.
Those who attended released blue and red balloons into the sky during a touching tribute at 6pm.
Some of the balloons were shaped as a heart while others spelled out his surname.
Adam’s girlfriend Jordan Rogers, 26, said: “I can’t believe how many people have turned up.
“I knew he was loved but this is something else.
“I didn’t expect this many people to come.
“I just think it’s amazing, he would be so grateful and us as a family are overwhelmed.”
Before the balloon release, Adam’s favourite song “Forever young” by Mr Hudson was played for all to hear.
After the balloons were released just after sunset, participants listened to Puff Daddy’s “I’ll be missing you”.
Jordan, who has two children Millie, eight, and Aj, three with Adam, said: “Forever Young was his favourite song.
“If you turned it off he used to say ‘put it back on, I’m singing to that.’”
She added: “There’s people that I thought would never have turned up and people that don’t even drive.
“They have made an effort to get here – it’s amazing.
“I just want to say thank you. He will be partying up there himself.”
Emergency services were called to Eleanor Place in Stockton, following reports that a man in his 20s had suffered life-threatening injuries on Friday, February 19.
Adam was taken to James Cook University
Hospital in Middlesbrough at around 8.10pm where he later passed away.
On Monday, crime scene investigators entered the property as three police vans and an unmarked police car were stationed on the residential street.
Bunches of flowers were left close to the outer police cordon and tributes were paid to Adam on social media.
The following day, three men appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court in Middlesbrough charged with Adam’s murder.
They are Ryan Stewart Burey, 29, of Wembley Way, Stockton; Craig Richard Hardy, 40, of Cambridge Road, Thornaby and Naeem Iqbal, 50, of Eleanor Place, Stockton.
Their case was transferred to Teesside Crown Court in the town, where they appeared on Wedneday.
The defendants did not enter a plea and the case was adjourned until March 24.
All three were remanded in custody.
A SECURITY guard on duty at Middlesbrough Bus Station saved the life of a man who collapsed and stopped breathing three times.
Bryan Stokell was first at the scene after commuter Andrew Watson fell to the floor and had stopped breathing.
Alerted by worried members of the public, Bryan, 42, from Stockton, sprang into action with chest compressions. He kept going even though Andrew stopped breathing three times, suffering three cardiac arrests, a heart attack and a stroke in front of him.
Eventually, with the aid of a defibrillator from the bus station office, Bryan managed to keep Andrew breathing until paramedics arrived and took over.
Thankfully, Andrew survived and the pair have formed a close bond in recent weeks, they are planning to meet up once Covid-19 restrictions allow.
“I could see he was in a bad way and totally unresponsive. I checked for a pulse but it was very weak, and then it disappeared,” said Bryan.
“I started with the chest compressions but his eyes were already rolling back in his head and he had turned blue, I knew it wasn’t good.
“I kept on with the chest compressions and then I heard a breath, but it stopped again.
“I did more compressions and I heard a breath again but he was very weak and he slipped away again.”
Bryan’s colleague Kenny Coyle was also at the scene and called an ambulance whilst helping keep onlookers calm.
Street Warden Terry Clarke helped with compressions while Bryan got a defibrillator from the office.
“He started breathing again for the third time with the help of the defibrillator and then the paramedics arrived and took over.
“I didn’t have a clue what had happened to him after that. I was in total shock to be honest. I rang the hospital later that day and they told me he had made it, I was so relived, it was a good feeling. They said I had saved his life,” said Bryan.
When asked about the reaction of others about the heroic incident, Bryan added: “My family are really proud of what I’ve done but I don’t think of myself as a hero, I was just doing my job. It still hasn’t sunk in.
“My son Jake is six and said to me: ‘Dad, you’re like Jesus, you bring people back to life,’ that was a special moment.”
The Great North East Air Ambulance
response team sent a letter congratulating Bryan on his heroics.
“Without Bryan’s actions it is likely that this episode would have had a very different outcome, and the gentleman would likely have died,” it read.
Bryan is now planning to meet up with Andrew when Covid-19 restrictions allow, and the pair have formed a close bond over recent weeks.
“We text on the phone quite a bit, it’s really nice to know he’s doing well,” he said.
Street warden Terry Clarke was also on hand and helped in the heroic actions.
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KRISTOPHER Weddle will never forget the morning he was woken to be told his train driver dad had been killed in a crash.
But at the age of just 10, the little boy could not comprehend the scale of the tragedy that had hit his family, and others, that day.
John Weddle was driving the illfated GNER train from Newcastle to London which crashed at high speed near Selby in North Yorkshire 20 years ago today.
The crash, which claimed 10 lives including John’s, has now gone down in history as the worst British rail disaster of the 21st century.
But it was not until Kristopher began researching his father’s death for himself that he discovered his childhood had been at the centre of such a monumental tragedy.
And today on the milestone anniversary of his father’s death, Kristopher has opened up about his loss for the first time, as he reveals how he researched the Selby disaster himself in a bid to understand what happened to his dad.
The 30-year-old said: “I read everything about it. And afterwards there was a certain numbness about it.
“It was a really weird feeling thinking; ‘I’m connected to this.’
“You read about so many disasters but looking at something that had such an impact on your family is strange.”
John, 47, was
at
the
controls
of
GNER’S 4.45am Newcastle to London service when it collided with a Land Rover that had come off the motorway and landed on the track at Great Heck, near Selby in North Yorkshire.
The collision, which happened at just before 6.15am, caused John’s train to partially derail and it collided with a 1,800-tonne freight train at an estimated speed of around 88mph.
Experienced train driver John, from Throckley, Newcastle, was killed along with nine other people, including train guard Raymond Robson from Whitley Bay, and GNER chef Paul Taylor from Longbenton.
The driver of the freight train was also killed, and more than 80 people were injured in the passenger train’s carriages, which were left strewn across fields after the smash.
Kristopher, and his sister 15-yearold Stephanie, were told the heartbreaking news soon after the crash.
“I remember being woken up and being told straight up what had happened, and obviously being devastated,” said Kristopher, who now lives in Jesmond.
“The family all got together downstairs. I don’t really remember understanding completely what had happened, just that it was a big deal.
“That is not a memory that is ever going to leave me.”
As Kristopher got older he decided he wanted to learn more about his father’s death, and he began to read everything he could find about Selby.
“I remember looking up stuff online and seeing what happened.
“There were definitely times when I came back to it,” he explained. “I just thought maybe I should look at it myself, instead of just going by what I had been told. I would look up the articles and stories about the crash, and the other people involved.
“I was at the epicentre of that, but I was also on the other side looking in at the seriousness of it. Looking back I was thinking, that was a big deal. “That was a huge, huge thing. “There was definitely that upset feeling. I think that happens when I talk about my dad with someone new. There’s obviously that emotion there. It gets to a point where you want it to be over. You want to just try and get on with it.”
Investigations into
the
crash revealed how the Land Rover, driven by Gary Hart, had left the carriageway of the M62, just before a bridge over the East Coast Mainline.
It careered down an embankment before coming to rest on the railway. Just 40 seconds before the crash Hart had made a 999 call to police to say he could not get his vehicle off the tracks.
But before the builder could finish his call the operator heard him shout: “There’s a train coming.”
The operator also heard a loud bang as the GNER Newcastle to King’s Cross high speed train hit Hart’s vehicle at around 120mph.
In 2002, Hart was jailed for five years after he was found guilty of causing the deaths of 10 people by dangerous driving at Leeds Crown Court.
It was revealed during his trial that Hart, then 37 and from Lincolnshire, had fallen asleep at the wheel after spending the previous night talking on the phone to a woman he met on the internet. Despite the heartbreak Hart’s actions caused his family Kristopher, who works for Durham University, told the Sunday Sun he does not feel any bitterness towards the driver.
“Everybody was very, very angry at this person that caused the accident, and rightly so,” he said.
“But I think when I read about what
‘‘
The family all got together downstairs. I don’t really remember understanding completely what had happened, just that it was a big deal. That is not a memory that is ever going to leave me
KRSTOPHER WEDDLE
happened there wasn’t anger there. It was a real tragedy. There’s no bitter anger here. I know some people had some strong thoughts about him, but he was released from prison so he must have been rehabilitated.”
In 2002, John’s memory was honoured when a new train driver school, named after him, was opened in Newcastle.
Kristopher was there as his sister unveiled a plaque bearing their dad’s name.
And while Kristopher will always wonder what life would have been like had his dad not been killed, he is comforted by the happy childhood memories that have stayed with him.
“My memories are only positive ones,” he said.
“My main memories of my dad are that we would go to his place at the weekend and I remember being in his small living room. He loved playing his guitar, and he loved playing music by The Shadows, which we had no concept of. I have got a picture of him in his living room playing his guitar and that brings up a lot of memories.
“He drove a little Mini car and he took us all over the place.
“It would be interesting to see what our relationship would be like if my dad was alive now.”
If you’re struggling with how you feel at the moment, you’re not alone. The ongoing worry of the coronavirus pandemic plus a winter lockdown have left many people feeling stressed, isolated and under pressure.
Taking care of your mind as well as your body is vital when you’re staying at home and it’s normal to feel bored, frustrated, worried or lonely. But there are lots of things you can do to help you cope.
You can find expert advice and practical tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing on the NHS website everymindmatters.co.uk. Here are some ways to start.
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MAKE A PRACTICAL PLAN If you’re unable to get to the shops for food and medicine, that can be a worry, so work out how you can get any supplies you need. Ask a neighbour or friend, find a delivery service or take a look at local Facebook groups offering mutual aid.
If you have a doctor or hospital appointment booked in for existing physical or mental health issues, go if you can, and discuss how to continue receiving support.
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KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS Everyone is missing their friends and family, and a good chat is one way to give yourself a boost. Sometimes it can be hard to admit you’re struggling, so arrange to check in with one friend to see how they are – and they can do the same for you.
And why not set up a Whatsapp group for friends and family who enjoy a particular TV show? It’s a simple way to get together and have an “event” to look forward to.
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TALK ABOUT YOUR WORRIES It’s normal to feel a bit scared about the current situation. And it’s OK to share your concerns with others you trust – remember, doing so may help them talk about theirs too.
But if you feel like you don’t want to burden others who are having a hard time too, there are plenty of helplines you can try.
The Samaritans offers confidential support: call free 24 hours a day on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
4
LOOK AFTER
YOUR BODY
Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse.
Try to eat healthy, wellbalanced meals, drink enough water and stay active – and try to avoid smoking, drugs or drinking too much alcohol.
Physical activity can help to boost your mood, but often it’s the last thing you feel like doing when you just want to stay in bed and block out the day. There are lots of workouts you can do at home, so try to get into a habit when you’re having a better day. An online PE session first thing can give you a lift for the day ahead.
Find a type of exercise you enjoy – that’ll make it easier to motivate yourself. Write down how you feel at the start and then compare that with how you’re doing afterwards.
For more tips and support to look after your body, search NHS Better Health.
STAY ON TOP OF DIFFICULT FEELINGS Remember, feeling worried about things just now is normal. But you might be experiencing intense anxiety that can affect your day-to-day life. If so, try to focus on the things you can control, such as how you act, who you speak to and where you
taking extra time to look after your own health is one thing you can control, so concentrate on the small things you can do to make the situation better.
For tips and advice to cope with difficult feelings, search Every Mind Matters.
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get information from.
Try some ideas to help manage your
AVOID OVERWHELMING YOURSELF WITH NEWS It’s tempting to “doom scroll” on your phone the moment you wake up or just before you go to sleep, but this will only add to your stress.
Set yourself a specific time to read updates, and be mindful of how you are consuming news depending on your mental health. Be wary of and fact check any information you see on social media. If you feel you’re going down a rabbit hole of bad news, set your timer for 15 minutes and do something else (that’s where cleaning can be very therapeutic!)
CARRY ON DOING THINGS YOU ENJOY
If you feel worried or low, you may stop doing things you usually enjoy. Make an effort to focus on your favourite hobby if you can still do it at home. Or start a new one: do crosswords or jigsaws, bake, or try drawing and painting. Don’t underestimate the power of sitting under a blanket with a good book, bingeing on a feel-good Netflix show or blasting out some music
CHECK YOUR while you’re tidying the house.
EMPLOYMENT AND
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BENEFITS RIGHTS TAKE TIME TO RELAX Work and money are a big worry Home used to be a place while you have to stay home, and for rest and relaxation, but this can affect your mental after nearly a year of spending health. Talk to your employer if so much time there, it’s no necessary. Also find out about wonder it’s becoming harder to Government support for find the head space to switch off. businesses and self-employed If you’re working from home,
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people, and understand your sick pay and benefits rights.
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