Coach's crash on same road as tragic student
A table tennis coach suffered serious injuries in a car crash on the same stretch of road that claimed the life of one of his former students.
John O'Keefe was struck hours after visiting the home of Annette Nicholls, the mother of Russell Nicholls, who died after being hit by a car on the A442 near Bridgnorth.
Mr O'Keefe, 68, suffered broken bones in the lower spine, a broken arm and three broken ribs.
This week he was transferred from Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital to the Princess Royal in Telford.
Police have appealed for witnesses following the crash, which occurred four weeks ago.
Mr Nicholls, 24, who was killed during the early hours of October 27, had survived a car crash on the same road six years before.
In a cruel twist of fate Mr O'Keefe's accident happened exactly seven years to the day of Mr Nicholls's first accident, which occurred along the busy Bridgnorth to Kidderminster Road.
Mrs Nicholls said: "I think it's a dangerous stretch of road.
"The speed limit is 40mph but no one enforces it. It was seven years to the day of Russell's first accident when John was hurt. He had come to visit me in the morning after Russell died and the accident happened later that afternoon.
"We're still waiting for Russell's inquest to be heard. It's been postponed twice but we just want to put it all behind us now."
Mr O'Keefe was a founder member of Bridgnorth Table Tennis Club when it officially formed in 2000.
He has coached all over the district, particularly promoting the game in secondary schools, including Oldbury Wells and Bridgnorth Endowed, William Brookes in Much Wenlock and Idsall in Shifnal.
Geoff Bristow, who also helped form the club and coaches in Bridgnorth, said: "John sustained some serious injuries but he's had an operation on his arm, so hopefully he'll regain full movement.
"He was a founding member of the club and does a lot of coaching work with schools. It's a tribute to him he's still going at this age.
"He has helped bring the club forward and as a result we are the county champions, with four teams.
"He has helped many junior players progress to the senior level, making us one of the strongest clubs in the county. We all wish him a speedy recovery."
