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Witness appeal after boy, 12, killed while cycling in Leicestershire

Passer by describes how he and others tried to comfort Jake Mitchell, who died later in hospital

Police in Leicestershire have appealed for witnesses after a 12-year-old boy who was riding his bike died from injuries sustained in a collision with a Nissan Qashqai just after midday yesterday.

Jake Mitchell from Nuneaton was taken to hospital in Coventry but died there later in the day, reports the Leicester Mercury.

The newspaper says that people at the scene of the crash on Bosworth Road, Wellsborough, comforted the youngster while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

One man, Davd Fidler, said: “I was there seconds after it happened and it looked like an accident.

“Without going into detail, it was a wrong time and wrong place and nothing could have changed it.

“I and a few others tried helping him and giving him comfort.”

He added that he was ““asbsolutely gutted he didn’t make it.”

Detective Constable Paul Bingham of the East Midlands Collision Investigation Unit said: “The Nissan was travelling along Bosworth Road towards Market Bosworth when it was involved in a collision with the bicycle [a Carrera Vengeance] which was also travelling in the same direction.

“If you witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle beforehand please contact the police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Leicestershire Police on 101, keying in the officer’s identification number (1288) when prompted, or alternatively the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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15 comments

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Ants | 9 years ago
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FFS, this child has died, we do not know the full circumstances and straight away someone is blaming the car driver and using this as an example of how evil cars are. This is not the time to do this - have some respect. When the facts are known you can rant but wait until then and I will be there with you.

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Metaphor | 9 years ago
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"Without going into detail, it was a wrong time and wrong place and nothing could have changed it"

No, a Nissan Qashqai is the wrong car to be driving on paved roads and a smaller car may indeed have produced a different outcome.

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truffy replied to Metaphor | 9 years ago
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Ramuz wrote:

a Nissan Qashqai is the wrong car to be driving

There, I fixed that for you.

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honesty | 9 years ago
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Road can be seen here: http://goo.gl/maps/vEHnb

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honesty | 9 years ago
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Without wishing to comment on this specific incident, having grown up a few miles away from here, Bosworth road is a wide fast B road, that at some point has gone through a straightening process to make it even faster through Wellsborough.

It's meant to by 50mph through the village but not many people do that, and quite a few are doing rather more than the national limit.

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mrmo | 9 years ago
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RIP,

at this point no point arguing what happened, gut instinct gives me two broad scenarios, and I hope the investigation is enough to give some answers.

First cyclist on road either swerved, wobbled, etc, basically car just didn't give enough room overtaking.
Second cyclist just rode straight off the pavement into the path of the oncoming car. Kids do stupid things all the time.

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Stumps | 9 years ago
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Regardless of how it happened its very sad and my condolences go out to his family.

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mrchrispy | 9 years ago
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the sooner drivers are taken out of cars the better.
computers dont have egos or get impatient

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Airzound replied to mrchrispy | 9 years ago
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Yeah right. I wouldn't want a computer driving me as the ones at work are always crashing.

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Joeinpoole | 9 years ago
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You don't know what happened. A couple of years ago in my area a 17 year old was killed when he inexplicably fell straight into the path of a Ford Fiesta driven by a 70 year old. He was riding on the excellent cycling path that borders both sides of the 50mph dual carriageway but somehow veered into the road. The driver was not charged.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10068962._I_never_got_to_say_goodb...

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truffy | 9 years ago
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Since there are no details of the accident, it's premature to jump to conclusions.

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zanf replied to truffy | 9 years ago
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truffy wrote:

Since there are no details of the accident, it's premature to jump to conclusions.

Yet you still use the term 'accident'?

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Paul_C | 9 years ago
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"One man, Davd Fidler, said: “I was there seconds after it happened and it looked like an accident.

“Without going into detail, it was a wrong time and wrong place and nothing could have changed it."

Utter rubbish, proper infrastructure would have kept them separate...

Also more care from the driver as it quite clearly gives warning in the highway code to give more room for young cyclists:

"204

The most vulnerable road users are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders. It is particularly important to be aware of children, older and disabled people, and learner and inexperienced drivers and riders."

" give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 213) and 214 to 215).

Remember: Mirrors – Signal – Manoeuvre

Highway Code - Rule 163 Give Vulnerable Road Users At Least As Much Space As You Would A Car"

https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/static/hc/hc_rule_163_give_...

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zanf replied to Paul_C | 9 years ago
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Paul_C wrote:

"One man, Davd Fidler, said: “I was there seconds after it happened and it looked like an accident.

“Without going into detail, it was a wrong time and wrong place and nothing could have changed it."

Utter rubbish, proper infrastructure would have kept them separate...

Its also a case of that he saw the aftermath, not the lead up to it nor the actual collision.

I also take umbrage with the constant reporting that it was a cyclist in collision with an inanimate object. It was a person driving a car FFS. The car wasnt driving itself (well, not yet anyway). Its as bad as using the phrase "accident" which puts a predetermined perspective rather than using the more neutral term 'collision'.

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severs1966 replied to Paul_C | 9 years ago
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Quote:

"One man, Davd Fidler, said: “[...] it was a wrong time and wrong place and nothing could have changed it."

Which place is the right place? Which time is the right time?

Since when is there a correct time to be on a public road on a bicycle? Are we to just get off the road at certain times? A curfew?

Although it doesn't make the situation the driver's fault in this case, the use of this phrase perpetuates the idea that cars have the right to the roads and bicycles are only there by the good grace of drivers tolerating our presence, generously. Oh thank you Mr Driver, so good of you to allow me onto your hallowed tarmac.

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