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Deaths mark 'worst day' in road campaign's history

Lewis Adams
BBC News, Essex
Essex Police, Essex Rebels Basketball, TikTok (Clockwise from top left) Eva Darold-Tchikaya looking at her phone in front of her face, TJ Hibbert in his basketball top for a team portrait, Makyle Bayley in red clothing bouncing a basketball on court, and Daljang Wol, also in his basketball kit in a team portraitEssex Police, Essex Rebels Basketball, TikTok
(Clockwise from top left) Eva Darold-Tchikaya, TJ Hibbert, Makyle Bayley and Daljang Wol "touched the lives of so many" at the University of Essex

A road safety group said the deaths of six young people in one day marked the worst 24 hours in its history.

Four students from the University of Essex died after the car they were in crashed into a building in Colchester on Saturday.

Almost 14 hours later, nine-year-old Darcie Casselden and her brother Roman, 16, were fatally struck by a car in Pitsea, near Basildon while riding an e-scooter.

"There has never been this many people killed on our roads in a single day in the 43 years we have on record," the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) said.

Alan Bolster Old building with section of brick wall demolished. There is a pile of bricks in front of the wall and four people - wearing construction-type clothing are standing next to the building. A picture of an owl is painted on the building front wall and the name Dusty's is written above the front doors.Alan Bolster
Four students died when the car they were in crashed into a building near Colchester city centre on Saturday

The group has a long-held ambition of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on the county's roads by 2040.

It brought together organisations including Essex Police, National Highways and local councils to campaign for road safety.

Essex Police Two Essex Police cars are on the left of a road behind blue and white police tape. A section of the road has been cordoned off. A police officer is walking away from the camera on the right side of the road.Essex Police
Magdalen Street was closed in the aftermath of the crash on Saturday as inquiries began

TJ Hibbert, 24, Makyle Bayley, 22, Daljang Wol, 22, and 21-year-old Eva Darold-Tchikaya died in the crash in Colchester on Saturday.

They had been in a car travelling in Magdalen Street when it left the road at about 04:40 GMT.

Prof Maria Fasli, vice-chancellor at the university, said they "touched the lives of so many".

The crash came about 14 hours before the accident in Pitsea.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of the incident in connection with the crash.

Jodie Halford/BBC Bunches of flowers are lying on grass at the side of a road. Some have messages written on them.Jodie Halford/BBC
Bunches of flowers and messages have been left at the scene of the crash in Pitsea

"We are collectively grieving these six tragic losses of lives," SERP said in a statement posted on Facebook.

"Behind every number is a family facing unimaginable grief and our hearts go out to them."

The campaign group said the incidents served as a reminder "to work tirelessly" towards eliminating all road deaths.

It urged motorists to "pause and reflect on the tragedy of this weekend" when they got behind the wheel.

"These deaths are not acceptable, and we know the devastation and excruciating pain will have a ripple effect across so many people," SERP added.

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