Five killed in head-on crash in Grimsby

The victims have been identifeid as David Cockburn, 48, his daughters Carley Ann Cockburn, 21, and Bethany Cockburn, 18, and Bethany’s 23-month-old daughter Lacie Jade Stephenson.

The fifth family member is yet to be formally identified, Humberside Police said.

A spokesman said the victims were travelling in a car which collided with a lorry near Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

The incident occurred at 12.30pm on Friday on the A18 in Laceby.

The driver of the lorry sustained minor injuries, police said.

James Cartwright, a spokesman for Humberside police, said in as statement: “Police were called today at 1230 hours following reports of a serious collision which involved a Nissan Primera car and a light goods vehicle which happened near to the Oaklands Hotel on the A18 Grimsby Rd near Laceby.

“The road remains closed at this time as offciers carry out the initial investigation in order to establish how the collision occured.

Five people dead

“Five people, who are all thought to have been known to each other, were travelling in the car at the time of the collision. Two of these were taken to the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital but sadly pronounced dead a short time later.

“The other three who were travelling in the vehicle at the time were pronounced dead at the scene. All are thought to have been from the Durham area”.

Operations Superintendent Tracy Bradley added: “It is far too early to speculate as to what caused it.

“Our thoughts go out to the friends and relatives of those who lost their lives at this sad time.”

The force is now appealing for witnesses to the crash or anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.

Jason Abrams, a golfer at the nearby Laceby Manor Golf Club, told ITV News: “All we know is that there’s been four adults and one baby killed in the accident.
“It’s a bendy road but people do go at a great lick along it. It’s 60mph at the moment but the council are looking at changing it to 50 and hopefully this will make a difference.

“A car went into an articulated lorry. All we know is what the police have said – that the car tried to overtake something or the car hit a curb which has sent it spinning out of control and obviously gone head-on into a lorry.”