Tribute to Nerys and John Jackson after Shropshire crash

Teacher Nerys Jackson, 57, and her engineer husband John Jackson, 60, were killed when their Skoda Octavia was in collision with the police vehicle earlier this month.

Mother-of-two Mrs Jackson has been working in the Ascension Islands - but had flown back to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to spend Christmas with her family.

Her husband was in the car with their daughter Ffion to greet her with their son Sam waiting at home for a surprise get-together.

The couple were 50 miles from home on a family visit when their car was in collision with the police vehicle on a routine "non emergency" journey.

An inquest opening held at Shirehall in Shrewsbury on Tuesday (December 19) heard Mr Jackson was driving the car at 10.20am with his wife in the back seat. Daughter Ffion suffered serious injuries but survived.

The pair, of Bwlchgwyn, Wrexham, died following the collision on the A458 near Morville Heath, Shropshire on Saturday, December 9.

In a tribute, Sam said Ffion ‘luckily’ came out with multiple broken bones.

He said: "They were on their way home from mams flight from the Ascension Islands - I was at home waiting with my partner to surprise my mum once she got home.

"It goes without saying that Ffion and I, along with the rest of the family are still in shock and haven’t even started to process what’s happened - but again, we all appreciate the messages, support, and thoughts of everyone.

"We would also like to share our thoughts with the family of the other vehicle involved in the collision, who has suffered significant injury but is currently in a stable condition - we can't imagine what this must be like and wish them a speedy recovery.

"There are no words to describe the sadness this has brought to us, our family, and the friends of both of my parents. We also extend our thoughts to all those with relations to the other driver.

"We are just glad mam and dad went together, and we still have each other."

John and Nerys Jackson (Image: Wales News Service)

The couple, who have two children Sam and Ffion, died at the scene of the crash.

John Ellery, senior coroner for Shropshire and Telford, was told that Nerys Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest.

"Sadly, despite the best efforts of the paramedics, she was pronounced dead at the scene," a coroner's officer report said.

Emergency services who went to the scene found Mr Jackson, a technical support officer, unresponsive. He too was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The inquests in Shrewsbury were both adjourned until April 17 for investigations into the collision to continue.

A statement released by West Mercia Police following the collision said the police vehicle involved had not been on an emergency call.

The female driver of the police vehicle had to be released from the vehicle with help from the fire service.

Police asked anyone who may have any information or dash-cam footage of the incident to report it online at westmercia.police.uk/tua/te

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "At around 10.15am [Saturday 9 December] a crime scene investigation police vehicle was involved in a fatal road traffic collision in Morville Heath, Shropshire. The collision happened on the A458 between Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth and involved a Skoda Octavia, driven by a member of the public.

"The ambulance service was called to the scene but the driver of the Skoda, a man in his 60s, and a woman passenger in her 50s, were sadly pronounced dead at the scene around 45 minutes later. A third passenger, a woman in her 20s, suffered minor injuries.

"The driver of the police vehicle suffered serious injuries and was taken to the QE Hospital in Birmingham. The police staff member was driving a crime scene investigation vehicle that was not travelling in response to an emergency.

"The force’s Professional Standards Department have been alerted, as is standard practice and the incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)."

Chief Superintendent Gareth Morris, of West Mercia Police said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man and woman following this awful incident, and our staff member who has been seriously hurt, at this difficult time.

"We ask that their privacy is respected. I would also like to reassure the public that we have referred the incident to the IOPC.”