Mother And Twins Who Were Killed In Horror Crash In Devon Have Now Been Named
THE devastated dad of twin 12-year-olds who died in a horror smash with their mother said the family’s loss was “just enormous”.
Jane Baker-Lockett, 43, and children James and Amy Gaskin died after their Kia Sportage was involved in a head-on collision with a Marks & Spencer lorry on Monday.
Their dad Chris Gaskin praised the “two fantastic kids” as he comforted surviving son Jack, 14, who was travelling in another car with his stepdad Paul Lockett.
Avionics engineer Chris told the Mail Online: “They came into this world together and sadly they have gone together.
“They have left behind a brother who adored them.”
Chris praised brave Jack, adding: “He has lost his best friends in the world and he is coping very well.”
The tragedy was witnessed by Jane’s husband Paul in his rear view mirror as the family travelled to North Devon for a holiday in separate cars.
It happened just a day after nine-year-old Keira Ball was fatally injured in a crash on the same stretch of road.
Little Kiera died yesterday, two days after the crash on Sunday, while mum Loanna and brother Brad, seven remain seriously injured in hospital.
Cops said Jane, of Milton Keynes, died at the scene of the smash on Monday morning.
Amy was pronounced dead at North Devon District Hospital in nearby Barnstaple, while her twin brother James died soon after being flown there by air ambulance.
Shocked neighbours told Mail Online it was a “terrible shame”.
One said: “They were a lovely family. They had three children and two dogs.
“We pieced two and two together when we heard the news on Monday and worked out it was them. We knew they had twins and a white car.”
A van driver who desperately tried to help the family – even using a crow bar to try and free the trapped kids – recalled his harrowing ordeal.
In an emotional Facebook post by his fiancée Leanne, she said: “My partner was there, he seen the car and him and my brother jumped out the van and tried their best to help but couldn’t get the car door open even with a crow bar.
“All he has done is cry at the image he has stuck in his head.
“Such an awful thing for the guy that has lost his family in a matter of minutes, my heart goes out to him.”
The trio were travelling towards Barnstaple when the collision happened near Aller Cross at around 8.25am.
Police investigators said the Kia crossed the white centre line for some “unknown reason” and struck the front of the oncoming HGV lorry.
Jane’s husband and her 14-year-old son were driving in a separate vehicle in front of them at the start of a family holiday.
A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said: “A 43-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Her 12-year-old daughter was pronounced dead on arrival at North Devon District Hospital.
“Her 12-year-old son was taken to hospital via Air Ambulance but died shortly after his arrival.
“The family were from the Milton Keynes area and were travelling in a separate vehicle from her husband and their 14-year-old son.
“They were not directly involved in the incident.”
Police confirmed that stepdad Paul witnessed the tragedy in his rear view mirror while driving ahead of them.
The main North Devon Link road was shut in the area for nine hours while investigators tried to find out what caused the tragedy.
Cops appealed for anyone with information to contact the Exeter serious collision team.
Police Inspector Richard McLellan said from the scene: “It seems at the moment we had two cars travelling towards Barnstaple – a family on holiday in the area – when for an unknown reason the vehicle had crossed the centre lines and collided with an HGV coming the other way.”
Mr McLellan said the fatal crash was a “terrible coincidence” to the crash on Sunday.
North Devon Tory MP Peter Heaton-Jones branded the A361 “not a safe road”.
He said: “We don’t know the causes at the moment but people are taking too many risks because there are short overtaking lanes that suddenly merge at not much notice.”
A spokesman for M&S said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the family and friends of the individuals involved.”
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