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Deeping school in shock after latest road tragedy
A HEADTEACHER today spoke of the shock and devastation at his school after a teenage girl was struck and killed by a car – the fourth of his pupils to die on the roads in just over two years.
A HEADTEACHER today spoke of the shock and devastation at his school after a teenage girl was struck and killed by a car – the fourth of his pupils to die on the roads in just over two years.Danielle Beaver (14) had just got off a bus and was crossing the B1514 Lincoln Road in Deeping Gate, near Market Deeping – close to her home – when the accident happened, just after 7pm on Thursday.
Chris Beckett, headteacher at The Deepings School, which opened specially yesterday and today to offer support to Danielle's distressed classmates, despite the school having broken up the Christmas holiday, spoke of his sadness at the tragedy.
He said a "shrine" of flowers had been placed at the front of the school and a book of condolence had been opened in memory of Danielle.
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"She was lovely. She was a typical, friendly, hard-working, top-class pupil," said Mr Beckett.
"She was highly thought of and well-loved by her friends – and that is reflected in the numbers down at the school on Monday morning.
"Staff were incredibly shocked and devastated on Friday when they heard what had happened.
"We arranged a special service for her year group, with prayers and readings."
Residents call for traffic-calming measures
There has been a call for traffic-calming measures to prevent more tragedies on the road where Danielle died.
In October 2003, mayor of Market Deeping Robert Glass was killed on the same stretch in a car crash.
Peterborough City Council introduced a 40mph limit in January 2007, but campaigner Peter Jackson (66), of Lincoln Road, wants two speed cameras installed.
Mr Jackson said: "It is all about budgets and not about what needs to be done to control traffic speed."
A 15-year-old schoolfriend of Danielle added: "There are no lights at all either."
And A neighbour said: "They should have traffic calming leading into the village."
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Danielle had just started her GCSEs and was expected to do well. She loved cooking, her pet rabbits and dog, and was also doing a hairdressing course.
Her brother Kane is a year 7 pupil at the school, and she also has a younger brother Logan, who attends Deeping St James Community Primary School.
Mr Beckett said: "Her family are devastated. They are just trying to come to terms with things and trying to console the boys."
Heartbreakingly, Danielle is the fourth pupil at The Deepings School to die on the roads in recent years.
Fourteen-year-old Aydan Roebuck-Wilson was on his bike when he was involved in a collision with a car not far from his home in Albion Street, Spalding, last September. He was rushed to Boston Pilgrim Hospital but later died.
Sixth-former Katie Shields (18), from Deeping St Nicholas, died last April when her car was involved in a crash with a Jeep on the A16 at Hop Pole, and Richard Gherardi (17) lost his life on the same stretch of road in May 2006.
Mr Beckett said the incidents were all "very different" and said the school was very unfortunate to have lost so many young people in road accidents.
He said: "We cover road safety within the school. we only recently had someone in from the police to highlight the issue in assembly.
"We have to deal with each loss individually."
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