Families devastated by fatal bridge crash (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester families' grief after fatal A429 crash

5:14pm Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Cotswolds news By Laura Shack

A COMMUNITY has been ripped apart following the death of a Cirencester man who died after his car careered off the Beeches Road bridge and crashed onto the A429 below.

High school sweethearts Robert Massey and Hayley McGrath had been at the Golden Farm pub on Beeches Road and left shortly before the accident at 6.15pm on Friday, July 27.

Police are investigating how the car, which was being driven by Robert, managed to veer through the bridge's barrier and land on its roof on the dual carriageway below.

Robert was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by Wiltshire Air Ambulance. The 26-year-old died the following day from multiple injuries.

Fiancée Hayley was taken to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol with fractures to her pelvis and spine.

The 25-year-old Waitrose employee, who is believed to have joined Rob at the pub after finishing work at 5.15pm, is said to be inconsolable at the loss of her "soulmate" whom she had met at Cirencester Deer Park School 13 years earlier.

News of the crash quickly spread and Hayley’s sister Sabrina Page ran barefoot to the scene from her nearby home.

Sabrina, 34, said: "It was horrible. There were so many people around and as soon as I saw the car I threw up. The scene is something I don’t ever want to see again and I wouldn’t wish on anyone’s family."

She said miraculously the couple's two Staffordshire bull terrier puppies which were in the car at the time of the accident escaped unharmed.

Sabrina said it was a devastating time for both families, but they needed to be strong for Hayley.

"We can’t eat, we can’t sleep. We’re just numb. My children are devastated because they miss their Uncle Rob," she said.

"He was so loving, thoughtful and happy. He just idolised the ground Hayley walked on and they meant the world to each other.

"I don’t know how she’s going to get through this, but we’ve got to be there for each other and pull Hayley through it."

Hundreds of tributes have poured into a Facebook page called ‘In Memory of Robert Massey’.

And Robert’s mum Cindy, who works as a cleaner at The Golden Farm pub, is said to be deeply touched by the kind words of support.

Sabrina said both families wanted to thank the "amazing" actions of the emergency services as well as passing drivers and pedestrians that stopped and sat with the pair before emergency services arrived.

She added that they needed time to grieve and wanted any speculation over the cause of the crash to be put to rest.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident, especially a motorcyclist who is believed to have been crossing the bridge towards Queen Elizabeth Road near the time of the collision.

Anyone with information should call Gloucestershire Police on 101, quoting incident 410 of July 27.