Family of doting Shirebrook grandad call for better checks on insecure loads a year after his death

The death of a “doting grandad” who died a year ago this week after a block of concrete smashed through his windscreen when it fell off the back of a lorry changed one family forever.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The grieving relatives of 60-year-old Steven Oscroft have described the last year as a “living hell” as they reflected on how this tragedy has impacted them all.

Now the family is hoping some good will come out of his death to ensure better checks are made by drivers carrying insecure loads, so no other family ever has to suffer similar heartache.

Read More
Kirkby drug farmer hid child porn when cops raided his home
Steve Oscroft's family with police at the joint operationSteve Oscroft's family with police at the joint operation
Steve Oscroft's family with police at the joint operation
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This week Nottinghamshire Police joined forces with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), who regularly carry out checks on heavy loads, to combine efforts and crackdown on unsafe vehicles during a day-long operation.

It resulted in nine vehicles being stopped by police. Three had insecure loads, three were overloaded, one had no tax and two had defective tyres. One driver was also reported for driving hour offences.

Members of Mr Oscroft’s family attended to show their support for the event on Friday, which was held just days after the one year anniversary of Mr Oscroft’s death.

On July 7 last year Mr Oscroft, from Shirebrook, was taking his wife and two grandchildren out strawberry picking in Ollerton, when a concrete block fell off a lorry travelling in the opposite direction, smashing into the windscreen on the driver’s side of the car.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He died instantly at the scene in Netherfield Lane, Perlethorpe cum Budby, while the other members of the family were physically unharmed.

Mrs Oscroft said: "It's been the year from hell. We're still trying to process Steven's death and I think because of the shock of how it happened and how suddenly it happened, we will never get over it.

"Every minute of every day we think about him and there are times that we momentarily forget what happened and think he's around.

"But Steven would have told us to get on with things and to focus on the grandchildren so we have concentrated on them and efforts to make vital changes to help prevent another family having to suffer the way we have."

Editor’s message: Support your Chad by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.