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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Woman critical after Italy crash | Woman critical after Italy crash |
| (43 minutes later) | |
| A 62-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after a motorbike crash in northern Italy that killed her husband and two other Britons. | A 62-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after a motorbike crash in northern Italy that killed her husband and two other Britons. |
| Fay Vercoe, of West Kingsdown, Kent, suffered multiple fractures in Tuesday night's crash in Mezzolombardo. | Fay Vercoe, of West Kingsdown, Kent, suffered multiple fractures in Tuesday night's crash in Mezzolombardo. |
| Her husband Michael Vercoe, 66, died with Colin Morrish, 63, from Rochester, and his partner Wendy Pointer, 60. | Her husband Michael Vercoe, 66, died with Colin Morrish, 63, from Rochester, and his partner Wendy Pointer, 60. |
| News agency Ansa said they had been on two bikes which had been in collision with a lorry. | News agency Ansa said they had been on two bikes which had been in collision with a lorry. |
| The accident took place near a new tunnel, which has a dual carriageway inside but switches to single lanes outside. | The accident took place near a new tunnel, which has a dual carriageway inside but switches to single lanes outside. |
| 'Wrong side' | 'Wrong side' |
| According to Italian government officials, it happened at about 1900 local time (1800 BST) as the motorcycles were leaving the tunnel. | According to Italian government officials, it happened at about 1900 local time (1800 BST) as the motorcycles were leaving the tunnel. |
| A spokesman said: "Witnesses saw the two bikes on the wrong side of the road." | A spokesman said: "Witnesses saw the two bikes on the wrong side of the road." |
| The lorry driver was also taken to hospital but was not thought to be seriously injured. | The lorry driver was also taken to hospital but was not thought to be seriously injured. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said consular assistance was being provided to the families involved. | A Foreign Office spokesman said consular assistance was being provided to the families involved. |
| Colin was leader of the pack - he would make sure we all rode safely, he would lead the way James Dixon | Colin was leader of the pack - he would make sure we all rode safely, he would lead the way James Dixon |
| James Dixon, from Hoo, near Rochester, knows the four friends and had been due to go on the biking holiday with them, but had to pull out. | James Dixon, from Hoo, near Rochester, knows the four friends and had been due to go on the biking holiday with them, but had to pull out. |
| He said news of the crash had left him devastated, and he could not understand how it could have happened to such experienced bikers. | He said news of the crash had left him devastated, and he could not understand how it could have happened to such experienced bikers. |
| "Colin was leader of the pack - he would make sure we all rode safely, he would lead the way," he told BBC Radio Kent. | "Colin was leader of the pack - he would make sure we all rode safely, he would lead the way," he told BBC Radio Kent. |
| "I can't understand why he would be on the wrong side of the road unless he got confused or the road signs were not very clear." | "I can't understand why he would be on the wrong side of the road unless he got confused or the road signs were not very clear." |
| He added that Mr Morrish, who owns a bike shop in Rochester, was a very competent rider. | He added that Mr Morrish, who owns a bike shop in Rochester, was a very competent rider. |
| "The bike he was riding had actually done 120,000 miles - this big Venture Royale - it was a huge motorcycle." | "The bike he was riding had actually done 120,000 miles - this big Venture Royale - it was a huge motorcycle." |
| Mr Dixon says his friend Colin Morrish, who died in Italy, had travelled thousands of miles across Europe on his bike |