Town to remember two killed in crash

A "celebration day" will be held in Craven Arms next week to remember the lives of two cricket-loving teenagers killed in a horrific road smash in Shropshire.

Naim Anwar, 19, and Zeeshan Ahmed, 15, died after a three-vehicle collision on the A49 near Wistanstow. A third Craven Arms young man, who was a car passenger in the accident, remains critically ill in hospital.

The collision happened at Wistanstow, near Craven Arms, at about 9.45pm on Monday.

Mr Anwar was driving a white Peugeot 306 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Passenger Mr Ahmed was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by ambulance, where he died on Tuesday morning.

Formal identification on the two teenagers, both from Craven Arms, has been carried out and inquests were opened and adjourned on Wednesday by south Shropshire Coroner Anthony Sibcy.

It has been adjourned until a date yet to be set in December at Ludlow Magistrates Court.

The teenagers' car was travelling southbound on the A49 when it was involved in a collision with a red Jeep Cherokee and a white Vauxhall Vivaro van travelling in the opposite direction towards Shrewsbury.

A woman passenger in the Jeep was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist. The driver and van driver were uninjured but were treated at the scene for shock.

The road was closed until about 1pm on Tuesday while emergency services, collision investigators and highway officials worked to investigate and clear the scene.

Police spokesman, Richard Ewels, said: "We are anxious to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision, the circumstances leading up to it or any of the vehicles involved being driven prior to the incident.

"Please contact Ludlow police on 08457 444888."

The celebration day will be on Friday at Craven Arms playing fields.

A cricket team from the Craven Arms Cricket project will play a team of local police, South Shropshire Youth Forum members, friends and parents.

Zeeshan was a Shropshire county youth player and played cricket for Ludlow's second team.

By Catherine Roche