Erin Bennett, from Cramlington, had just won a place with Northumbria Police. Her family say they are “shattered beyond belief”.
Erin Bennett, a 22-year-old criminology and psychology graduate, died in a three-vehicle collision on the A1 near Felton, Northumberland, on Sunday 18 October. Emergency services were called shortly after 12.15pm. She had recently secured what her family called her “dream job” with Northumbria Police and was about to begin training as a detective. Northumbria Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.
Tributes
In a statement, Ms Bennett’s family said: “Erin Bennett was the most amazing beautiful woman and our whole world has been shattered beyond belief. Erin was not only a big sister and daughter, she was also our best friend.”
They added: “She lit up the room with her contagious smile and was loved by everyone. She was the most caring, thoughtful, wonderful woman and was so excited about her future after gaining her degree in criminology and psychology. She had recently got her dream job in Northumbria Police and was about to start her training to become a detective. She loved her family and was a massive part of it. Losing Erin has left a huge hole that can never be filled.”
Her boyfriend, Craig, said: “Erin you are the most beautiful, amazing and loveable girlfriend in the world. You lit up the room anytime you walked in with your beautiful smile and your charm. You were the light of my life, and I will always hold you in my heart. I love you always and forever my love.”
According to the Northumberland Gazette, the family also thanked members of the public who stopped to help at the scene, and the emergency services.
The collision
Police say Ms Bennett was driving a red Renault Clio southbound and was pronounced dead at the scene. A white Tesla Model 3, also southbound, and a white Nissan Qashqai, northbound, were involved. The cause has not been established, and the account so far does not show which vehicle or driver was responsible.
Six other people were hurt, according to the police breakdown in the research notes. The Qashqai driver had minor injuries and was discharged after treatment. A passenger in the Qashqai was seriously injured but has since left hospital. Four people in the Tesla suffered injuries not thought to be serious.
The North East Ambulance Service said it was called at 12.23pm and sent four ambulances, a specialist paramedic and a clinical team leader. Two patients were taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and one to a hospital in Cramlington, and a child was treated and discharged at the scene. It did not say which vehicle the child was in. The A1 was closed in both directions between the A697 near Morpeth and the A1068 near Alnwick for about nine hours, with diversions through Felton and West Thirston.
Police appeal
Sergeant Greg Huntley said: “We will continue to offer the family all the support they need and would ask that their privacy is respected at this time.”
He added: “We are continuing to appeal for further information and for anyone with dashcam footage of the vehicles involved to come forward. If you were travelling in either direction on the A1 around the time of this collision, any information you are able to provide could prove important to our ongoing enquiries.”
Anyone with information or footage can message the force on social media, use live chat or report forms on its website, or call 101, quoting reference NP-20261018-0441.
Calls for road improvements
Local reporting described the death as the seventh on the road in recent months. Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson renewed calls for safety improvements to the A1’s single-carriageway sections and said the council was preparing fresh evidence for the Government in support of dualling. North Northumberland MP David Smith expressed his condolences and urged witnesses to help police.
A scheme to dual about 13 miles between Morpeth and Ellingham was scrapped after its estimated £500m cost was judged poor value for money. National Highways has committed to other safety work, while local leaders still want the larger scheme. The North East Sustainable Transport coalition has argued that concentrating on dualling could delay quicker measures such as average-speed cameras. Investigators have not established that the road layout caused this collision.
