Father and son tragedy

A father and son died and a teenage girl was seriously injured in a car crash at a notorious accident blackspot road in Kidderminster.

John Thacker, aged 43, and his 10-year-old son, Matthew, who live in the Wyre Forest district, were killed when their Jaguar X-type sports car collided with a Vauxhall Corsa on the A456 Birmingham Road.

The crash happened close to Hodgehill Nurseries, just before 12.30pm yesterday. The Jaguar careered off the road and collided with a tree.

A teenage girl, believed to be the boy's sister, was cut from the wreckage and flown to the Alexandra Hospital at Redditch by the County Air Ambulance with serious injuries. Her condition was described as "serious but stable.".

Officers said both vehicles had been travelling in the same direction on the same carriageway of the A456.

Paramedics and a doctor were were unable to save Mr Thacker or Matthew who had been wearing a seatbelt and was a passenger in the rear of the vehicle.

The driver of the Corsa, who has not been named but also lives locally, suffered minor injuries and shock and was taken to hospital for observation. The road was closed for about four hours.

John Hawker, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "One vehicle, which had three people inside, suffered considerable damage. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, the male driver and young boy suffered fatal injuries."

Earlier this year residents living near the road called for increased safety measures. They asked police to back calls for reducing the carriageway to one lane and for reduced speed limits.

This followed seven accidents recorded along the same stretch of roadway in the last few years. Witnesses to yesterday's incident should call Sgt Mark Layton on 08457 444888.