Latest news with #Bridgwater
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Autistic girl, 17, killed on the M5 after escaping police car had removed her handcuffs before jumping out of moving vehicle, report finds
An autistic girl who was hit by a car and killed on the M5 after jumping out of a moving police car had been able to remove her handcuffs before making her doomed escape, a report has found. Tamzin Hall, 17, who had been arrested for assault and criminal damage, was being taken into custody by two officers in a police car on November 11 last year when the tragedy occurred. An inquest hearing at Wells Town Hall later that month was told, Tamzin, who was a student, got out of the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier. The police vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway of the M5 between junctions 25 at Taunton and 24 at Bridgwater shortly after 11pm. She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and was pronounce dead at 11.10pm after sustaining fatal head, neck and chest injuries. Coroner's officer Ben Batley told the hearing: 'Her injuries were not survivable and Tamzin was declared deceased where she was found on the motorway.' The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating her death, including the contact two Avon and Somerset Police officers had with Tamzin before she died. It is examining their 'actions, decision-making and risk assessments of the situation and whether these followed relevant training and policies'. At the time of the crash, police said the M5 was closed following a fatal collision between a 'pedestrian and a car' and neglected to mention she had fled their vehicle. It was only some six hours later - after the IOPC revealed it was investigating - the force disclosed the full circumstances. An annual report published today by the IOPC on deaths following police contact has revealed more information on how Tamzin got out of the car. It detailed how she was able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car. The report, which does not name Tamzin, says: 'A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage. 'She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport. 'While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out of the moving car. 'The child ran across the road and was struck by a vehicle being driven by a member of the public, on the opposite carriageway. The child died at the scene.' In a tribute a couple of weeks after Tamzin's death, her mother Amy Hall said: 'Tamzin was the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever. She was the most honest person I've ever known; she was very special to me. 'She had a great sense of humour, and we had many laughs together. 'She was my shadow from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she went to sleep at night. She was such an intelligent young girl and had such interesting perceptions on things in life.' She added: 'Tamzin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, so she was unique and saw the world in such a different way. 'Tamzin was my absolute everything and I can't believe she isn't here anymore. She was my world. 'She put her all into absolutely everything. She loved helping out as a young child, if you set her a task, she would put her all into it and want it just right. 'She was always so thoughtful and would put others before herself. She loved the simple things in life, talking and her family. Plus, she absolutely loved chocolate – she was chocolate mad!' 'Tamzin was such a wonderful daughter. She was a beautiful person. 'My life will never be the same but I'm using my strength for my other children, Tamzin's siblings. 'She was only 17 but she has taught me a lot and I can use that memory and hold on to that. 'I will never ever get over it, she was taken far too young.'
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Girl killed in crash after fleeing police car had removed handcuffs, says report
A teenage girl who fled a police vehicle and was killed after being hit by a car on the motorway had been able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the back to the front seat, it has emerged. Tamzin Hall, 17, died as she was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater by two officers in an Avon and Somerset Police car in November last year. On Thursday, an annual report on deaths following police contact gave additional details about how Tamzin, who had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage, got out of the car. The report, published by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct, detailed how she was able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car. The report, which does not name Tamzin, says: 'A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage. 'She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport. 'While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out of the moving car. 'The child ran across the road and was struck by a vehicle being driven by a member of the public, on the opposite carriageway. The child died at the scene.' The police vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway of the M5 between junctions 25 at Taunton and 24 at Bridgwater shortly after 11pm on November 11 last year. Later that month an inquest hearing at Wells Town Hall was told Tamzin, who was a student, got out of the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier. She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries. The IOPC is investigating her death, including the contact that two Avon and Somerset Police officers had with Tamzin before she died. It is examining their 'actions, decision-making and risk assessments of the situation and whether these followed relevant training and policies'.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Girl who died fleeing police car on M5 'had removed handcuffs'
A teenage girl who died after escaping a police vehicle and being hit by another car on the M5 had been able to remove her handcuffs, it has been Hall, 17, died as she was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater by two officers in an Avon and Somerset Police car in November 2024.A report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), published earlier, has detailed how she removed her handcuffs and climbed from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car, which was parked on the side of the then left the car, climbed across the crash barrier and was hit by a car on the opposite carriageway. Ms Hall had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage and was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater from Taunton via the police car was on the northbound carriageway of the motorway, between junctions 25 and 24 just before 23:00 GMT on 11 IOPC report, which does not name Tamzin, says: "A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage."She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport."While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out."She was pronounced dead at the scene after being hit as she crossed the southbound carriageway, the report added.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Girl killed in crash after fleeing police car had removed handcuffs, says report
A teenage girl who fled a police vehicle and was killed after being hit by a car on the motorway had been able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the back to the front seat, it has emerged. Tamzin Hall, 17, died as she was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater by two officers in an Avon and Somerset Police car in November last year. On Thursday, an annual report on deaths following police contact gave additional details about how Tamzin, who had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage, got out of the car. The report, published by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct, detailed how she was able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car. The report, which does not name Tamzin, says: 'A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage. 'She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport. 'While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out of the moving car. 'The child ran across the road and was struck by a vehicle being driven by a member of the public, on the opposite carriageway. The child died at the scene.' The police vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway of the M5 between junctions 25 at Taunton and 24 at Bridgwater shortly after 11pm on November 11 last year. Later that month an inquest hearing at Wells Town Hall was told Tamzin, who was a student, got out of the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier. She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries. The IOPC is investigating her death, including the contact that two Avon and Somerset Police officers had with Tamzin before she died. It is examining their 'actions, decision-making and risk assessments of the situation and whether these followed relevant training and policies'.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bridgwater £17.8m diagnostic centre to improve access to 'vital scans'
A hospital trust has moved a step forward in its plans to construct a £17.8m diagnostic centre to improve access to vital NHS Foundation Trust has been given approval by NHS England to construct the facility next to Bridgwater Community Hospital. It said it has now applied for planning permission, which if approved could see the facility open next centre will run a range of services including two CT scanners, two MRI scanners, four outpatient rooms and two echocardiography and ultrasound director David Craig said the centre is "expected to provide almost 25,000 additional scans every year". This will enable the centre to provide the Bridgwater population with routine and specialist cardiac and cancer scanning, alongside clinics. It follows the opening of a community diagnostic centre in Taunton in 2020, as well as the development of a diagnostic centre next to Yeovil Hospital, which is expected to open later this year."This development is fantastic news for people in Bridgwater and will improve access to vital healthcare scans, as well as help us to reduce our waiting times," Mr Craig said."The new centre supports one of the three shifts of the NHS 10 Year Plan, which involves transferring care from hospitals into local communities."Running across seven days a week, it will improve access for people in Bridgwater and the surrounding areas to specialist care, with the centre expected to provide almost 25,000 additional scans every year."
