Latest news with #Carshalton
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
South London residents feel 'forgotten' after Royal Mail delays
Postal delays in parts of south London have led some residents to feel abandoned by Royal data shows 70% of first-class mail was delivered on time in Croydon and 71% in Sutton, well below the legal target of 93%."It feels like we have been completely forgotten," said Anna, a Wallington resident who added that she had gone weeks without any post and felt anxious over potential missed hospital letters and other important Mail attributed those delays to widespread staff sickness and issued a public apology. Anthony, a Carshalton resident, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he and his wife had to collect urgent post from the sorting office after not receiving mail for over a week."They're only dropping off parcels," he said, quoting a Royal Mail driver who claimed staff were told "not to bother with letters right now".Royal Mail is legally obliged to deliver first-class mail within one working year, the company failed to meet delivery targets in all London postcodes, and Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean said there did not appear to have been any signs of who represents Carshalton and Wallington, described the situation as "completely unacceptable" and said it was clear "Royal Mail is in disarray"."When I contacted Royal Mail for an explanation, they simply said that they had 'operational issues'. That's not good enough," he said."Previous fines have clearly done nothing to change the company's behaviour. Communities across the UK depend on this service, and there is now an urgent need for greater transparency and accountability." The MP has urged Ofcom, which regulates Royal Mail, to step in and tackle what he said were repeated failures and a lack of transparency from the and businesses in Croydon experienced similar delays of up to two weeks over the last Christmas period due to staffing shortages at Royal Mail's Factory Lane sorting disruption impacted the delivery of time-sensitive items, including NHS appointment letters and medical response to the recent delays, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We acknowledge that our quality of service is not yet where we want it to be, and we're working hard to deliver the standard our customers in Carshalton and Wallington expect."They added that across the UK, the vast majority of first-class letters still arrived within two days, and that significant drops in letter volumes meant households may no longer receive daily deliveries."Delays lasting weeks are not something our local delivery offices are reporting," they said."We will contact the local MP to better understand and investigate the concerns raised by residents."
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Lillie Clack: Mum calls for law change after drink-driving crash
A mother has called for changes in the law after her daughter was killed in a drink-driving crash where she was a Clack, 22, of Morden, south-west London, was injured in the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021 and died three days was among six people in a Mercedes that hit a tree following a police chase, flipped over and burst into flames in Carshalton. The driver, Charlie Hilton, was jailed in 2023 for causing Lillie's death by dangerous driving and driving above the alcohol a coroner's ruling of unlawful killing, Debbie Clack is urging lifetime driving bans for motorists involved in fatal crashes while under the influence. Sebastian Naughton, assistant coroner for London South, said the evidence showed Hilton's actions could be considered as gross negligence as he fled police reaching speeds of more than 100mph (161km/h), carried out an illegal U-turn and ran a red a light as passengers inside the car begged him to after the inquest at South London Coroner's Court, Lillie's mother said: "Lillie went through a horrific ordeal and we are continuing to live through this every day."She added: "Hilton killed my daughter."He pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving while more than twice the legal alcohol limit, running from the police, refusing to stop, losing control of his car, and crashing into a tree."She is calling for lifetime driving bans for anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence and for tougher penalties for dangerous drivers. Ms Clack said the crash caused a bleed on Lillie's brain and she died on 28 December. "She was just 22. My baby girl," she said."If going through today's pain means something changes, if it shines a light on what went wrong and stops even one other family from feeling this kind of grief, then it was worth it."It cannot be right that any driver involved in a fatal crash gets to go home still carrying their licence in their pocket. It is also the case that too often those convicted of injuring people by their dangerous driving can one day return to the road."What happened to Lillie, her family, friends and the whole community, has to mean something. We all need to believe that lessons will be learned." 'In trouble' The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from car crashed in Beeches Avenue, February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Lillie's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol coroner suggested Hilton "possibly knew he was in trouble due to the number of people in his vehicle", that the U-turn was "practically inviting the police to pursue" and he would have known he was over the alcohol limit to "made no effort to ascertain" if his passengers were wearing their seatbelts. In his findings the coroner said: "Despite repeated requests from passengers throughout the pursuit to slow down or stop, the driver of the Mercedes would not stop or slow down after the police were no longer in pursuit of the Mercedes."The Mercedes was travelling at about 70mph - in a 30mph speed zone - just seconds before the car went over a raised pedestrian crossing."The driver of the Mercedes lost control of the vehicle, was weaving before striking kerbs on both sides of the road and leaving the carriageway, striking a tree and the Mercedes," Mr Naughton said."Lillie sustained serious chest and head injuries in the collision."Due to the severity of her injuries there was no possible surgical intervention. Lillie deteriorated and died on 28 December 2021."It is not possible to say if her injuries could have been mitigated if her seatbelt had been fastened."Complications of a head injury was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Woman who died after drink-driver fled police unlawfully killed, inquest finds
The heartbroken mother of a woman who died after a drunk driver fled from police at speeds of over 100mph has called for motorists who are involved in fatal crashes while under the influence to be stripped of their licences. The call was made by Debbie Clack on Friday after a coroner ruled that her daughter Lillie, 22, who was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021, was unlawfully killed. The kitchen designer, of Morden, south London, was among six people who squeezed into the overcrowded Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton, 25, who was chased by police before the car hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames in Carshalton. Assistant coroner for London South, Sebastian Naughton, said the evidence showed Hilton's actions could be considered as gross negligence as he fled police reaching over 100mph at some points in the chase, carried out an illegal U-turn and ran a red a light as passengers inside the car begged him to stop. After the finding sitting at South London Coroner's Court, Lillie's mother said: 'Lillie went through a horrific ordeal and we are continuing to live through this every day.' She added: 'Hilton killed my daughter. 'He pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving while more than twice the legal alcohol limit, running from the police, refusing to stop, losing control of his car, and crashing into a tree. 'That crash caused a bleed on Lillie's brain. Damage so severe that her heart stopped beating three days later on December 28 2021. She was just 22. My baby girl. 'If going through today's pain means something changes, if it shines a light on what went wrong and stops even one other family from feeling this kind of grief, then it was worth it. 'It cannot be right that any driver involved in a fatal crash gets to go home still carrying their licence in their pocket. It is also the case that too often those convicted of injuring people by their dangerous driving can one day return to the road. 'What happened to Lillie, her family, friends and the whole community, has to mean something. We all need to believe that lessons will be learned.' She is calling for lifetime driving bans for anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence and tougher penalties for dangerous drivers. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. Residents in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to help after the crash. In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Miss Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. The coroner suggested Hilton 'possibly knew he was in trouble due to the number of people in his vehicle', that the U-turn was 'practically inviting the police to pursue' and he would have known he was over the alcohol limit to drive. He 'made no effort to ascertain' if his passengers were wearing their seatbelts. The coroner said: 'Mr Hilton was properly directed to stop by police and decided not to so. 'He decided to evade capture and drove at high speeds before the collision occurred.' In his findings the coroner said: 'Despite repeated requests from passengers throughout the pursuit to slow down or stop, the driver of the Mercedes would not stop or slow down after the police were no longer in pursuit of the Mercedes.' The Mercedes was travelling at approximately 70mph – in a 30mph speed zone – just seconds before the car went over a raised pedestrian crossing. The coroner said: 'The driver of the Mercedes lost control of the vehicle, was weaving before striking kerbs on both sides of the road and leaving the carriageway, striking a tree and the Mercedes. 'Lillie sustained serious chest and head injuries in the collision. 'Due to the severity of her injuries there was no possible surgical intervention. Lillie deteriorated and died on 28 December 2021. 'It is not possible to say if her injuries could have been mitigated if her seatbelt had been fastened.' Complications of a head injury was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination. Hilton had been told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop, the inquest heard. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police. At one point Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. Police called off the chase, which lasted about three-and-a-half minutes, after losing sight of the Mercedes. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick' and thought he could 'easily lose control'. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He also remembered saying: 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson does not remember the crash but does recall being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from his lip. He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Woman's boyfriend begged 90mph drunk-driver to stop before car crash killed her on trip home from Winter Wonderland, inquest hears
The boyfriend of a woman who was killed by a drink driver begged him to stop the car as it raced at over 90mph, her inquest has heard. Kitchen designer Lillie Clack, 22, from Morden, London, was fatally injured and died days after the crash, in the early hours of Christmas Day in 2021. On Thursday, the inquest into the death heard that drink driver Charlie Hilton, 25, was chased by police before his Mercedes hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames. He was carrying five passengers at the time after offering them a lift home following their night out to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Residents in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton, south London, grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to help those involved in the crash. The passengers were pulled from the car but Ms Clack suffered a brain bleed and died in hospital three days later. Ms Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson, who implored with Hilton to let himself and his partner out of the vehicle, and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. The car was overcrowded with six people squeezed inside, with not everyone wearing seatbelts, South London Coroner's Court sitting at Croydon Town Hall heard. The friends had been enjoying a night out at Winter Wonderland in the West End and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. The passengers were pulled from the car but Ms Clack suffered a brain bleed and died in hospital three days later In a statement Mr Watson, who was wearing a seatbelt, said he was 'shocked and I remember thinking why is he going so fast' when the car sped away so quickly. Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick'. During the journey, he said: 'I thought Charlie could easily lose control. I did not want to be in the car. I felt scared because I had been in a crash before on my bike.' Mr Watson said 'it felt too fast' and he wanted to get out saying 'it just felt unsafe'. He remembered saying 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson cannot recall all the details of the chase, the inquest heard, but he remembered Hilton running a red light at some point before the crash. Hilton did an illegal U-turn and was undertaking and overtaking vehicles. Mr Watson added: 'I do not remember hitting a tree. The only memory I have is being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from my lip.' He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me - and I knew then that it was bad.' The passengers have gaps in their recall of the crash but remember feeling 'shocked' as the car raced away, continuing to build speed, it was said. Hilton was told by his passengers a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police, the inquest heard. In a statement, Ms Casey who was sitting on the front seat said: 'Everyone was shouting inside the car. There was a lot going on and I was just feeling very fearful for everyone in the car. The speed we were going at made me feel terrified. 'It feels like I was only in there for a few seconds. It feels like a blur. 'Even after I visited Lillie's tree I still have no memory of the accident.' Ms Casey said she 'was not my usual self' but was not drunk when she got into the car and was not wearing a seatbelt. She added that 'at no point did Charlie appear drunk to me. He did not seem to be drunk as he was not talking loud and he was not stumbling.' Ms Casey was among a group of friends who had been to the pub and had accepted a lift from Hilton to drop them off at her home a few minutes away. Her boyfriend had won a 6ft inflatable banana at Winter Wonderland earlier that day which blocked the view of the friends of who got in to the back seat. Nadia Avent, who was in an taxi when she saw the car explode in the early hours, said: 'The car overtook [the] taxi at great speed. It looked like a video game because of the speed he went past us.' She added that she saw 'the car exploding in front of us' and then dialled 999 to inform the emergency services. Sergeant Alexander Gill said that his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone during the chase and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. He did not have a record of Hilton's speed but accepted an observation from the assistant coroner for London South, Sebastian Naughton, that 'when you are driving at 100mph and you think he was going upwards of 100mph?' The car was travelling between 70mph and 80mph in the seconds before the crash, the inquest was told. PC Mathew Reed, who examined the scene after the crash, said the car had gone over a raised zebra crossing just seconds before the collision. This made the vehicle become 'unstable' and 'speed is a contributory factor' in how the driver would have handled the vehicle. He could not say how significant not wearing a seatbelt could have been as a cause of Ms Clack's death. He said 'seatbelts do save lives' and noted that 'passengers not being restrained' would have moved around in the car when it hit the tree. In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Ms Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. He was also disqualified from driving for five years after his release from prison. Ms Clack's mother has spent years campaigning for Lillie's Law, which would see all drunk drivers who kill have their licences revoked permanently. petition set up by the family has gained more than 40,000 signatures. The inquest continues.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Boyfriend of woman who died asked driver to stop speeding car, inquest hears
The boyfriend of a woman who was killed by a drink driver begged him to stop the car as it raced away at over 100mph, her inquest has heard. Kitchen designer Lillie Clack, 21, of Morden, south London, was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of December 25 2021. On Thursday, the inquest into the death heard that drink driver Charlie Hilton, 25, was chased by police before his Mercedes hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames. Residents in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton, south London, grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to help. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. The car was overcrowded, with six people squeezed inside, South London Coroner's Court sitting at Croydon Town Hall heard. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction in the West End and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat wearing a seatbelt, said he was 'shocked and I remember thinking why is he going so fast' when the car sped away so quickly. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick'. During the journey, he said: 'I thought Charlie could easily lose control. I did not want to be in the car. I felt scared because I had been in a crash before on my bike.' Mr Watson said 'it felt too fast' and he wanted to get out saying 'it just felt unsafe'. He remembered saying 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson cannot recall all the details of the chase, the inquest heard, but he remembered Hilton running a red light at some point before the crash. Hilton did an illegal U-turn and was undertaking and overtaking vehicles. Mr Watson added: 'I do not remember hitting a tree. The only memory I have is being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from my lip.' He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.' The passengers have gaps in their recall of the crash but remember feeling 'shocked' as the car raced away, continuing to build speed, it was said. Hilton was told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police, the inquest heard. In a statement, Miss Casey who was sitting on the front seat said: 'Everyone was shouting inside the car. There was a lot going on and I was just feeling very fearful for everyone in the car. The speed we were going at made me feel terrified. 'It feels like I was only in there for a few seconds. It feels like a blur. 'Even after I visited Lillie's tree, I still have no memory of the accident.' Miss Casey said she 'was not my usual self' but was not drunk when she got into the car and was not wearing a seatbelt. She added that 'at no point did Charlie appear drunk to me. He did not seem to be drunk as he was not talking loud and he was not stumbling'. Miss Casey was among a group of friends who had been to the pub and had accepted a lift from Hilton to drop them off at her home a few minutes away. Her boyfriend had won a 6ft inflatable banana at Winter Wonderland earlier that day which blocked the view of the friends who got in to the back seat. Nadia Avent, who was in an taxi when she saw the car explode in the early hours, said: 'The car overtook a taxi at great speed. It looked like a video game because of the speed he went past us.' She added that she saw 'the car exploding in front of us' and then dialled 999 to inform the emergency services. The court heard that at some point Hilton was thought to have been driving at over 100mph and was pulling away from police who called off the chase after losing sight of the Mercedes. At one point in the chase Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. He did not have a record of Hilton's speed but accepted an observation from that the Assistant Coroner for London South Sebastian Naughton that 'when you are driving at 100mph and you think he was going upwards of 100mph.' In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Ms Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. He was also disqualified from driving for five years after his release from prison.
