Four killed in crash between vehicles

POLICE: A tight-knit community was left shaken after four young men died and two girls were left in hospital following an earlyhours crash in Leeds. Police said a grey Seat Leon was involved in a collision with a grey Seat Alhambra taxi people carrier.

A TIGHT-KNIT community was left shaken after four young men died and two girls were left in hospital following an early-hours crash in Leeds.

Police said a grey Seat Leon was involved in a collision with a grey Seat Alhambra taxi people carrier, at about 2.40am on Saturday at the ring road on Broadway, Horsforth.

As tragic details were slowly released by police on Saturday, it was confirmed that four men, aged 18, 19, 19 and 21, who were travelling in the Leon, were killed in the crash.

They have been named in local reports as Declan Grove, Matthew Walshaw, Brandon Frew and Caelan Megson. Two girls, both 17, who were also travelling in the Leon, were taken to hospital following the crash near Bank Gardens.

One of the girls was yesterday said to be in a critical condition, while police confirmed the second girl’s injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

Meanwhile, the male driver of the Seat Alhambra, a 42-year-old taxi driver from Bradford, was taken hospital with injuries described as “serious but not lifethreatening”.

Chara Andrews, 19, who said he grew up with the young men, spoke in Horsforth on Saturday about how felt “absolutely empty”.

“When I found out this morning I didn’t want to believe it,” he said. “They were the best set of lads you could ever meet.

“We’ve had some of the best times and I feel happy now remembering it.

“I know they’re all together and looking down on us at the moment.”

He said friends gathered on Saturday night to “toast” the young men.

“We are all pulling together and remembering the good times,” he added.

Dozens of floral tributes, laden with touching messages, were left at a lamppost close to the crash scene.

Groups of people arrived at the site throughout Saturday and yesterday to pay their respects and band together in memory of those who died.

Residents living along the stretch of Broadway – which forms part of Leeds’ Outer Ring Road – told of their shock after being awoken to the sound of both cars colliding in the early hours of Saturday.

Andrew Buckley, 45, who lives about 200 metres from the crash scene on Broadway, described the noise as “an explosion”.

“We didn’t see anything just heard a bang,” he said. “It sounded like an explosion. “I got up and had a look and saw a couple of cars that were really badly damaged.”

A man, who lives in Horsforth and was walking his dog during the morning following the crash, but did not want to be named, said he saw cordons being put in place.

The latest tragic crash comes just seven months after the highprofile collision in Stonegate Road, in the Meanwood area of, Leeds, when five people lost their lives.

I know they’re all together and looking down on us at the moment. Friend Chara Andrews, 19.