Family ‘cannot describe pain’ of losing 15-year-old after collision

THE FAMILY of a 15-year-old girl who died after a car ploughed into pedestrians waiting at a bus stop have said words cannot describe their pain.

Katelyn Dawson, inset, was waiting for a bus to take her to school in Huddersfield when a BMW 5 Series car demolished the bus stop, leaving her with fatal injuries.

In a statement issued through police, Katelyn’s family said: “We are devastated at the loss of our beautiful Katelyn, and it is no exaggeration to say words cannot describe the pain we are all feeling.

“We want to thank those who have shown such love and support at this awful time, and now ask that we are given some privacy to grieve as we try to come to terms with the magnitude of our loss.” The statement is one of hundreds of tributes to Katelyn which have poured in since Wednesday morning’s crash. A 17-year-old girl from the same school, Shelley College, was also seriously injured in the crash along with a 47-year-old woman, Christine Crawshaw, who suffered two broken legs. West Yorkshire Police said both are now in a stable condition. Huddersfield Town’s commercial director Sean Jarvis said the tragedy will be marked at the club’s Premier League clash with West Ham United today. In a Facebook post, he said: “Please get involved in the 15th minute applause on Saturday for the tragic accident that took the life of a young girl (and leaves two in a critical condition) and has shocked our community.

“Please share and spread the word. We will put a picture of her on the big screen on the 15th minute. Terriers let’s show our respect.”

The club’s move comes as a shrine of tributes continued to grow at the scene of the crash on Wakefield Road.

One of the scores of messages left by the dented railings said: “You was known by so many for being the bubbly character that brought out the light in the darkest of days and now you light the sky.”

Many of the tributes were left by the dozens of friends and family who attended a vigil at the scene on Thursday evening.

Katelyn was a keen dancer who was a member of Caspers Freestyle Dance School in Brighouse.