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WANSTEAD: Neighbours' shock at horror death crash
7:40am Tuesday 16th June 2009

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By Daniel Binns »


NEIGHBOURS in a busy street have spoken of their shock after two teenagers were killed in a car crash outside their homes.

Households in Aldersbrook Road, Wanstead, were woken by the "loud thud" of Sunday morning's smash, in which a Lexus smashed head-first into a tree, killing two and severely injuring the car's driver and a third passenger.

The crash happened just metres from a "speed kills" sign, and only 100 metres from a speed camera.

Police have not revealed the identities of those who died, but they are believed to be two 18-year-old Asian students from Manor Park.

The car's driver and other passenger are said to be in a stable condition in hospital.

A 19-year-old man apparently turned himself in to police following the crash.

He was arrested and then bailed until September.

Initially police said only one car was involved, but the arrest has sparked rumours in Aldersbrook Road that the crash happened after a race between two cars.

Meanwhile, friends and relatives of those who died have been paying their respects at the crash site, along with residents from the surrounding area.

One of them, 57-year-old Pat Bennett, said he had been "horrified" by what had happened.

He said: "I just heard this loud thud in the middle of the night, and just after there were sirens all over the place.

"You hear sirens quite a lot on this road because it's a through-route for the emergency services. But when I found out the two men had died I was just shocked, horrified, especially when you consider they were aged just 18.

"Crashes are quite common here. A few weeks ago a car went through a bollard a bit further up. They were speeding but they got away with it.

"There's a lot of speeding but not much is done about it."

Lewis Mayo, 54, lives opposite the site of the crash.

He said: "I was reading in my bedroom when it happened, I had the window open because it was a hot night so I heard everything.

"I heard the car hit the kerb, then rustle through the grass and then the thud when it hit the tree.

"But there was no squeal of breaks, no skidding, no horns, nothing you would expect like that, so I was very surprised - and shocked - when I found out two of them had died. It didn't sound like they were going that fast.

"I came downstairs and immediately there were a lot of people coming out of their homes, and a lot of cars had stopped in the road to help.

"I heard one of them screaming. He was very distressed and wasn't coherent. But within minutes the emergency services had arrived.

"It's very sad.

"I've lived here for 24 years and we've had dozens of accidents along here. The residents association has been campaigning for years for there to be more traffic controls like speed cameras.

"But we're not even sure the speed camera here works, I've seen police cars race by at speed and it never seems to flash or go off."

A neighbour of one of teenagers who died, from Manor Park, said: "They were just eighteen. Eighteen. His mother is mad with grief. He had two other brothers, and he was the smallest.

"I watched him grow up from when he was little. We are all very upset."

One of the teenager's funerals was held yesterday, and the other is due to be held today.

The family have said they do not wish to talk to the media.

A spokeswoman for Redbridge Council, which maintains the road, said: "Aldersbrook Road is a strategic route for the emergency services and physical traffic calming measures such as road humps would not be supported as they would affect attendance times to emergency incidents in the area."

"There is no recent history of serious personal injury accidents in this location. The “speed kills” signs are part of the council’s borough wide road safety campaign to warn motorists about the outcome of high speeds.

"As soon as we have further information on the likely cause of this accident, we will discuss the matter with the Police Accident Investigation Officers to see what actions can be considered to improve road safety in the area."

A spokesman for the London Safety Camera Partnership (LSCP) said: "For operational reasons we cannot release site specific data, but the camera at this site is in full working condition."

Anyone with any information on the crash, which happened at around 2.20am on Sunday, is urged to call the Chadwell Heath Collision Investigation Unit on 8597 4874.

Did you know those who died? Leave your tributes below or email dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk