Pictured: Married couple, 57 and 60, killed in tragic crash with police crime scene vehicle just days before Christmas – as heartbroken family say ‘there are no words to describe the sadness this has brought us’

• Nerys Jackson had made a 4,000-mile journey home from the Ascension Islands 

A heartbroken family have paid tribute to a married couple killed after crashing into a police vehicle days before Christmas. 

Engineer John Jackson, 60, picked up his wife Nerys Jackson, 57, RAF Brize Norton on December 9 after she flew 4,000 miles back to Britain from the Ascension Islands where she was teaching.

Just 50 miles from their home, the couple were both killed after smashing with a police crime scene car on a routine ‘non emergency’ journey.

An inquest heard Mr Jackson was driving the car along the A458 between Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth in Morville Heath, Shropshire. Their daughter Ffion, who was also in the car, suffered serious injuries but survived.

Nerys Jackson, 57, and her engineer husband John, 60, were both killed on December 9

Teacher Nerys had made a 4,000 mile journey back home from the South Atlantic Ocean

John picked her up from the airport with their daughter Ffion as their son waited at home

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

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.’

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

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

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

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 that 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 hospital (pictured)

‘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.’

A link to a GoFundMe page for the Jackson family can be found here. 

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