Road Travel Accident

Police are investigating a road traffic accident in which a young woman was killed when the mast of a towed boat smashed through the windscreen of the car she was travelling in.

Sarah James, 19, was a front seat passenger in a purple Rover when the accident happened on the B4194 in Bewdley, Worcestershire. The boat was on a trailer being towed by a Range Rover heading in the opposite direction when the mast came loose.

"As the vehicles passed, the mast is believed to have come away and gone through the windscreen of the purple Rover, missing the driver, but striking the passenger," said Constable Sian Davies of West Mercia Constabulary.

Miss James, of Highley, near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, suffered serious head and neck injuries and was taken to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham for emergency surgery. She later died.

Police said the tragedy was a freak accident and asked for anyone with information to come forward.

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Stephen Nye from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "This tragic case is a reminder to all road users that they owe a duty to other road users to make sure that any load they are carrying is secure. This applies not only to commercial goods vehicles, but to all drivers with regard to trailers, caravans and items on roof racks.

"If a load is insecure when travelling at speed it can be a major hazard to other vehicles. I have dealt with a number of cases where serious injuries have been sustained in such circumstances."