A heartbreaking tribute has been paid to Doris Bridgehouse, who was killed by a car travelling 88mph over the legal speed limit.
The 82-year-old grandmother died in a fatal collision after her Kia Venga was hit head-on by an Audi S3 travelling at speeds up to 118mph.
The accident occurred on Friday 13 May 2022 at around 10.55 on Halifax Road in Rochdale. The road has a 30mph speed limit.
On Tuesday 14 November 2023 the Audi driver, 24-year-old Trent Jason Simm, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years after his release.
As well as being charged for Causing Death by Dangerous Driving for the death of Doris Bridgehouse, Simm was also found guilty of Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving to two passengers in Doris’s vehicle, one being Doris’s daughter Amanda.
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Minshull Street Crown Court heard on Tuesday that Doris had been out visiting her grandson’s university showcase and was driving home with them.
On the night of the fatal accident, Simm had been driving at excessive speed when he lost control on a nearside bend, crossing onto the opposing carriage way, where he collided with Doris’s car.
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Emergency services provided first aid to the three occupants of the Kia, but tragically Doris was pronounced dead at the scene. The passengers of both vehicles were taken to hospital with series injuries.
When police officers initially spoke to Simm, he claimed ‘the pedals got stuck, and I’ve come round the corner on the wrong side of the road’.
Trent Simm and Doris Bridgehouse’s cars after the collision. Credit: GMP
At court, Doris’s daughter Amanda read a statement to the court and defendant, highlighting the severe injuries for her and emotional trauma for the rest of her family.
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She detailed her grief, memory loss, and the physical and emotional toll of the accident, and said she hopes Simm will ‘bear the weight of the consequences for the rest of his life’.
Doris Bridgehouse was a beloved nurse and cherished family member who was described as a ‘vibrant and kind’ individual.
Addressing Simm, Amanda said: “It has changed my family and I forever, given my son Max the most dreadful, shocking, and incomprehensible memories and had a catastrophic impact on both my son’s lives.
“You have robbed me and my sons of ‘goodbye’ to Mum and Nan and me of the being the Mum that I want to be to my sons right now. This is very difficult, and you are going to have to live with your actions for the rest of your life.
“As much as you have destroyed the dynamics of our family, I think that you have also destroyed a part of your own and your family’s. I do not feel sorry for you at all; driving at those speeds you are liable to kill someone, and you did.
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“So, actions have consequences and here we are. Rest In Peace, Mum.”
Trent Simm has been jailed for causing the death of Doris Bridgehouse. Credit: GMP
Sergeant Louise Warhurst from GMP’S Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “What had started out as a special celebratory occasion for Doris and her family ended in tragedy when through no fault of her own, she encountered Trent Simm driving his Audi S3 at manifestly dangerous speeds.
“Trent Simm was treating the public highway as his personal racetrack, reaching astonishing speeds of 118mph in a 30mph residential area. He had no regard whatsoever for the safety of all other members of the public using the roads in Rochdale that evening.
“I would like to thank all the members of the public that tried to assist Doris and her family at the scene of this collision and everyone that came forward to assist the police with their investigation. I would like to thank the family, friends and loved ones of Doris, who have conducted themselves with dignity throughout this investigation.
“I would also like to remind those who think they can ignore the speed limit to think twice before using their car at high speeds. Your actions can devastate innocent members of the public in a split second and no one deserves to lose a loved one this way.Dangerous drivers will not be tolerated in our communities.
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“Greater Manchester Police will deal with them robustly to keep people safe from illegal and irresponsible drivers.”
This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024
Thomas Melia
An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.
The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.
But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Credit: The Manc Group
The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.
With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.
There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.
Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.
If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.
You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.
Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.
That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.
Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.
Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.
A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.
That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.
NEWS: Greater Manchester on track with plan for first new rail station in over 20 years. 🚉
✅ 90%+ public consultation support for Golborne station in Wigan ✅ Planning application in to @WiganCouncil ✅ Local area improvements and walking and cycling links
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.
A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM
If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.
Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.
“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.
“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”
Daisy Jackson -
15th November 2023 
