Lindsey’s family vow to fight on

Nottinghamshire coroner Mairin Casey delivered a verdict of accidental death following a three-day hearing into the death of the 13-year-old, who died instantly after being struck by a tram as she stepped onto a crossing at Bestwood Village on 28th November, 2012.

Since the tragedy, a bridge has been built over the ‘Bone Mill’ level-crossing, near Moor Bridge.

But Lindsey’s foster sister, Tasha Selway (21), says she will extend their safety campaign to make all level-crossings safe across the country.

Speaking after the hearing, she said: “I will campaign throughout the UK and go into schools to warn children of the dangers.

“Even if one person listens to me it would save them and their family from going what we have had to go through.

“I will start a petition for every single crossing in the countryside. I feel like I’ve now got the opportunity to go forward and get something done about this.”

The reason why Lindsey, who lived on Longford Crescent, Bulwell Hall Estate, walked into the path of the tram remains a mystery.

But Miss Casey said no-one was culpable for her death, after it was heard the driver had done everything possible in an attempt to alert her and stop the tram.

She also praised Lindsey’s family, who listened to all of the evidence over the three-day inquest, saying: “It’s highly unlikely that another family will endure what you have gone through. Your loss is immeasurable beyond words.

“It’s touching to see a grieving family attend, it’s too painful a process for so many people.

“It’s been a long time for you to wait for this inquest and I thank you. The delay only adds to the grief.”

Testimony was given by numerous witnesses during the lengthy hearing, including Lindsey’s friends, the tram conductor and the tram driver.

Speaking about the tram driver, Tasha added: “We will now have to learn to live with what has happened, but I feel so sorry for him. He was not to blame.”

“It’s hard to say what he was feeling, but he was heartbroken. He has got to live with what he saw.

“We just wish we could take the guilt from him. There are enough people living with guilt over Lindsey’s death. It could have been any driver.”

Yet Lindsey’s family are still unhappy that it took Lindsey’s death for the £1m footbridge, which opened in October last year, to be built over the controversial crossing.

Four years before Lindsey’s death, almost to the day, a woman and her grandson were struck by a train while trying to get cross.

Tasha said: “We are satisfied with the bridge being their now but it should have been built sooner. We’ve got to live with the fact that it was not put up in time.”

Lindsey’s foster mother, Marlene Starling, added: “There’s no-one to blame but it should not have happened.

“It was an accident that could have been prevented. People have died there before, why was it no put up sooner?

“If they built it when they should have done, we wouldn’t be here.”