Bride may never walk again after M62 horror crash that killed friend as groom keeps vigil by her bedside and his mother fights for her life

The devastated fiancee of hen party bus crash victim Stefanie Firth is holding a vigil at her hospital bedside amid fears she may never walk again, while his mother Lesley remains critically injured.
Miss Firth, 24, is still fighting for life after suffering a ruptured a spleen and horrific spinal injuries in the M62 crash which killed her friend, 18-year-old Beth Jones, and injured 21 people.
Fiancee Gary Leafe's mother, Lesley, 56, is also in intensive care and was one of eight people to suffer critical injuries in the accident.
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Bride-to-be Stefanie Firth, who is in a critical condition with spinal injuries after a hen party minibus collided with a lorry on the M62 near Pontefract

The heartbroken family of 'fun and bubbly' Miss Jones have paid tribute to her in an emotional statement.
First year nursing student Miss Jones died at the scene after the vehicle, carrying 20 women from South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, to a hen do in Liverpool, collided with a Farmfoods lorry.
In a statement issued through West Yorkshire police, Miss Jones' family said: 'Beth was a fun and bubbly girl who was caring and considerate to everyone she met.

Tributes: The family of Beth Jones, 18, described her as 'fun and bubbly' in a statement issued today

Bride-to-be Stefanie Firth, far right, was on her way to her hen do with friends (left-to-right) Sarah Johnson, Fiona Wood and Ashleigh Warner when their minibus crashed

'She was the apple of her grandad's eye and she will never be forgotten and sadly missed by everyone.'

Miss Jones was in her first year at Leeds University studying to become a nurse.
A school friend, who studied A-Level dance with Bethany, told the Mail: 'She was an amazingly talented singer, actress and dancer. She was so lovely and had a smile for everyone.

Ashleigh Warner is one of 20 people reported to be injured in the horrific smash, which killed her young friend

Never forgotten: Her family and friends are reeling at Beth's sudden death

'She will be greatly missed.'
Writing on her Facebook page, Anthony Jones said: 'How can you take her away such an angel so much to live for a family behind her dad Paul mam Diane sister amy brother Ryan such a loss never be forgotten always rendered rip love ni (sic) night uncle tony xxxx'
On Twitter Joel Harry wrote: 'R.I.P. Beth Jones, you will be greatly missed, always made me laugh and smile when you were around, such an amazing lovely person.'
Joe Long said: 'Can't believe it's actually true. Beth Jones was the single nicest person I've ever met and she was impossible not to get along with. RIP'
And Molly Ripley wrote: 'Sally Brooks and Beth Jones, names that St Wilfrids will never forget.
'So upsetting possibly two of the worst things I've ever heard #RIP xx'
Yesterday's tragedy came a week after Beth Jones' former school St Wlifrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form in West Yorkshire also lost popular teacher Sally Brooks who died after collapsing on a walk with her family.
The 37-year-old English teacher had just given birth to her second son Louis.
It is understood the minibus turned onto its side after leaving the main carriageway and going up a slip road when it collided with a Farmfoods lorry driving in the same direction.

Injured: Miss Firth, 24, is being treated in intensive care amid fears she may never walk again

The lorry driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and bailed pending further inquiries.
Several of the injured women were airlifted to hospital and seven are described as being in a serious but stable condition.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire police said a further woman 'remains in intensive care and is described as very poorly'.
According to a neighbour of Miss Firth, who did not want to be named, Stefanie is in critical condition suffering from spinal injuries while her fiance's mother is in intensive care.
The neighbour said: 'Stef was so excited for this hen do.
'She's getting married in a couple of weeks and she was really looking forward to spending the weekend in Liverpool celebrating with her friends.
'I heard the news and my heart just sank.
'I knew they would be travelling on the M62 and my gut feeling was that it was them involved in the crash.

'We know the same people and it was a mutual friend who told me it was them. '

Wreckage: The minibus can be seen on its side. It appears to have collided with the lorry some distance up the road and skidded onto the slip road (right)

'I've heard that Stef is in a critical condition with spine injuries and her fiance's mum is in intensive care.

'Another girl is in theatre with broken legs.

'I know a lot of the girls on the trip and they are all lovely people.

'It's a real tragedy and my heart goes out to all of them.

'Stef has been with her fiance, Gary, for years and they are a lovely couple. I imagine this will have a devastating impact on them and their wedding.

'They are great neighbours and are so friendly to everyone round here.'

The neighbour said that she many of the girls have been friends since school and believes Gary has gone to the hospital.

A South Elmsall resident has spoken of her shock having seeing the 'laughing and giggling' hen party getting onto the minibus yesterday morning.

Doreen Gray, 70, was doing her shopping in the town and saw the women getting onto the minibus around 11am opposite the bus station.

She said: 'I saw them all laughing and giggling and I thought to myself they are in for a fun weekend.

'They were all in great spirits so it's devastating to hear what has happened.'
Emergency services - including six air ambulances - were called at 11.30am on Friday to junction 32 of the M62 after the crash near the Xscape leisure park, at Pontefract.
Speaking at the scene Chief Inspector Mark Bownass, head of West Yorkshire Police's roads policing unit, confirmed one woman had been killed.

'We believe the minibus at this time was heading to a hen party in Liverpool,' he said.

'Sadly within this accident there has been one fatality.'

Speaking close to where the crash happened, Alice Taylor, 31, described the scene when she arrived moments after. 'When we stopped there were police, fire and ambulance services on the scene and a lot more have come since.
'There are two fire trucks right in front of me, a serious incident van and a number of ambulances.
'The air ambulance have been back and forth and we have seen people taken away on trolleys from the scene. We have been sat here for around two hours now while the emergency services work.
'The injured all seem to have been taken away and police have been taking measurements on the road.'

Wreckage: Firefighters work near the spot where the crash happened. The mangled minibus can be seen in the background

Minibus: This is the minibus which was involved in the crash flipped on its side at the edge of the motorway

Further back in the traffic was chartered accountant Pritpal Singh, 28, from Leeds who was travelling back to his office on the M62 westbound when the accident happened.
He said: 'It was about 11.30am, I was going in the same direction as the accident, the westbound carriageway. It was effectively gridlocked from 11.30am onwards.

'By noon everyone had shut off their engines and started walking around on the road. By 2-2.30pm three quarters of the cars and lorries were empty.

'I was about a third of a mile back from where the accident was, I got out and walked up to the scene. There were probably about 10-15 ambulances, as many police cars, several fire engines.

'In the midst of all the emergency vehicles I could just about see the scene of the accident.

'I could see a minibus which was on its side. It had quite a severe amount of damage on the right hand side. The lorry which had collided with it was on the main motorway.'
Paramedics said they had treated 20 people were treated at the scene and taken to hospital.
Chief Inspector Bownass appealed for any witnesses to contact police on 101, as well as any family members who may have any concerns.

Six air ambulances were called to the scene but four were actually used by emergency crews who came to treat casualties.

Dr David Macklin from Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: 'The crews as you can imagine faced a very difficult scene with multiple seriously injured people.
'They are trained to respond to those sorts of incidents, they reacted in a manner in which I would expect them to.'
He praised the 'excellent and professional response' of ambulance crews. Members of the public also helped to give first aid.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said that firefighters had remarked that the crash was 'the worst they had seen in a number of years'.
'The crews that arrived described to me a very difficult scene, some of them saying it was the worst they'd seen in a number of years and some very experienced fire officers have been attending this scene.
'However, they very quickly got to work and brought in a range of equipment including cutting and lifting equipment to effect as quick a rescue as we could of those casualties who were still in the vehicle.'
Police confirmed an off-duty officer was the first person to report the accident and had stayed at the scene to help.

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