Police plea for people to drive safely this Christmas after deadly weekend on Manchester’s roads

Greater Manchester Police have issued a plea for people to drive safely after six people died on local roads in one weekend.

Chief Superintedent Mark Dexter said that it had been a ‘terrible’ weekend and urged people to think carefully before getting behind the wheel this Christmas.

There were six fatal collisions in the region between Friday and early Monday morning, one of which led to the death of a 10-year-old child.

A man in his 20s has been arrested in a separate incident where a woman, believed to be in her 60s, was killed in a collision in Rochdale.

The man presented himself at a police station in Bury and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

There was a further fatality on Monday morning involving a cyclist on Centenary Way.

Officers from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit are investigating the incidents.

Dexter, of the Specialist Operations Unit that oversees road policing, said: “This weekend has been a terrible one for so many people after a number of serious incidents on our roads in the week before Christmas.

“Between Friday and the early hours of Monday, our officers responded to six fatalities across Greater Manchester – including 10 year old child. Our thoughts are clearly with the families and friends of those that have died this weekend

“That’s six families that our officers had to give this most traumatic news to, and seven families who will be lost without a loved one just days before Christmas – a time of year that should be full of joy.

“All of these incidents remain subject to ongoing investigations, and we have a specialist officers dedicated to supporting the families of all those that tragically lost their lives this weekend.

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“One fatality on the roads of Greater Manchester is one too many, and I urge people getting behind the wheel this week to think about each of those six families and how your actions could result in another family having to suffer.

“If you have any information about any of the incidents over the weekend, then please call our Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4741. Thank you.”

Each of the six families who have received the traumatic news are being supported by specially-trained officers.

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