Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 26 April 1929

Roman Terrace Child’s Disregard of Danger.

“Pure Accident.”

A child’s utter disregard for danger led to the death on Saturday of Ronald Beech, the three-year-old son of Herbert Beech, a Mexborough Urban District Council employee, of 191, Wath Road. Mexborough.

An inquest was held at Swinton Library on Monday by Mr. J. Kenyon Parker and a jury. When the father took the oath he fell in a fit and had to be taken from the room.

It was stated by a neighbour, Mrs. Alice Schofield, of 171, Wath Road, Roman Terrace, that he had a similar fit when he heard of the accident.

Mrs. Schofield, in evidence, said that about 4-10 p.m. on Saturday she was talking to a friend at her front door when she noticed a motor-bus coming from the direction of Wath. The ‘bus was going slowly at about a yard from its proper side of the road.

“I then saw Ronald Beech and his sister on the pavement on the opposite side of the road to me They were near the end of a well fronting the houses and when the ‘bus was nearly up to them. Ronald stepped from the pavement into its way. I rushed across the road to try and save him but although the ‘bus stopped practically dead, I was too late. I had to run round the back of the ‘bus and then I saw Ronald lying between the wheels covered with blood. I picked him up and took him home. Dr. Bhalla came in ten minutes, but the child died on his arrival.”

Coroner: Do you blame the driver of the ‘bus for the accident?—No, sir. The child ran right into the road and the driver did all he could to avoid hitting him. The ‘bus stopped suddenly.

Laurie Victor Richardson, of 51. Oakland Terrace, Wath, and P.c. Johnson gave similar evidence and agreed that it was a pure accident.

The driver of the ‘bus. Tom Webster, of 37, Chapel Street, Roman Terrace, said that about 4-14 p.m. on Saturday, he was approaching the junction of Highwoods Road and Wath Road, Roman Terrace at a speed of eight miles per hour. Suddenly a child ran into the road, and although he applied both foot and band brakes, and de-clutched, he could not avoid knocking it down. The nearside wheel passed over its neck. A woman ran across and took the child away. Witness went to the child’s home and stayed until the police arrived. The ‘bus was owned by Mr. O. Waddington, of Mexborough. Witness had been driving eight years.

Addressing the jury, the Coroner said the witnesses all agreed it was a pure accident. A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned, the driver being exonerated.