“Our boy did not get to grow up because somebody used their phone”
Morning Live presenters Kym Marsh and Gethin Jones were clearly moved by the ‘powerful’ film(Image: BBC)
Morning Live presenter Gethin Jones has reflected on a heartbreaking issue that was documented and discussed on the breakfast show this week.
The BBC programme aired a segment which looked at the dangers of using mobile phones behind the wheel, with the reckless action leaving families devastated. Driver distraction is one of the main causes of accidents on UK roads, many of which are avoidable, including mobile phones. Ahead of the show, the Welsh presenter had shared a preview of the segment on his Instagram story with the caption: “I wish we could broadcast this film every day”.
In another clip from the segment, which was shared on Gethin’s Instagram story, former detective Rebecca Mason called the issue “relentless”. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter.
On the programme, which was aired on Wednesday morning, May 28, Gethin alongside his fellow host Kym Marsh introduced the segment and described it as “powerful”.
He said: “First this morning, a powerful film about how some people selfishly use their phones behind the wheel and the consequences are devastating.”
In a segment presented by Rebecca Mason, viewers were introduced to the story of 14-year-old Joe Cairns, who tragically died in a road accident in January 2019.
Ahead of its airing, Gethin Jones shared a preview of the segment and shared how he felt about the poignant segment on his Instagram story(Image: Gethin Jones / Instagram)
Six years later, his parents Andy O’Dell and Steph Cairns were still coming to terms with their loss.
“He was magnificent,” Steph said. “The life that he was leading was difficult because he had autism, but he was working through it.”
In 2019, Joe took a minibus to school, but at 9.30am, his mum Steph received a phone call.
“I looked, it was from his school,” she recalled. “They said, ‘Hi Steph, I’m just letting you know that Joe’s van hasn’t arrived in school.”
His dad, Andy, added: “And it was like, let’s just wait to see what happens. It could be roadworks, it could be anything.”
Gradually, news began filtering through that there had been a road accident on Joe’s route to school.
“I knew one of the parents, whose child was on the bus,” Steph said. “She told me that her son was at the hospital.”
Andy continued: “So I phoned up Alder Hey and the other hospital in Liverpool, but got no answers, nothing. They wouldn’t tell us anything.”
Six years after Joe’s death, his parents Steph Cairns and Andy O’Dell were still coming to terms with their loss(Image: BBC)
Steph and Andy tried to find out what happened to their son Joe for six hours before a police officer arrived at their door.
Steph said: “He went, ‘I’m really sorry, he’s died’. And that was it.
“I was screaming and screaming. And that old line that every parent or anybody who goes through anything said, I could hear somebody screaming and it was me.”
Steph continued: “So I was like, I’m going to see my little boy. And I remember getting to the door. I took a deep breath and I walked in. And he was just lying there.
“I remember kissing him and I remember I didn’t want to leave him, I just wanted to stay with him. I just wanted to stay with my little boy.”
14-year-old Joe Cairns tragically died in a road accident in January 2019(Image: BBC / O’Dell and Cairns Family)
Joe was killed when James Majury, a HGV driver, had ploughed into a school minibus on the M58 in Lancashire.
Majury also killed a support worker, Anne Kerr, and injured five others.
As reported by BBC News, mobile phone records showed Majury of Coppull, Chorley, had been using his phone throughout his journey.
The court heard he sent texts, made calls, used sports apps, opened a game and checked Facebook all while behind the wheel.
Majury only noticed the minibus carrying children to Pontville School – Joe’s school, half a second before the impact.
Although braking hard, Majury’s lorry hit the minibus at 50mph, with 50-year-old Anne Kerr and 14-year-old Joe dying at the scene.
Joe’s mum, Steph, recalled screaming when she heard the devastating news (Image: BBC)
Majury was jailed for eight years and 10 months.
“We’ve lost our little boy,” Andy said. “I think everyday what will he look like now? What will he sound like now?”
Steph added: “Our boy did not get to grow up because somebody used their phone. Let’s stand up and say, this is not okay.”
As former detective Rebecca Mason found, Essex Police and Greater Manchester Police had been conducting undercover operation into the issue as an attempt to crack down reckless drivers.
Both had been using undercover HGV, which were able to capture road users who were breaking the law.
Back at the Morning Live studio and reflecting on watching the segment, Gethin said: “Absolute silence in the studio as we were watching that. I wish we could show that film everyday because what that film shows is that it’s just not worth it.
“It’s never worth using your phone behind the wheel.”
