Leak is blamed for DJ's death (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Leak is blamed for DJ's death

Flowers at the scene of the tragedy.A POPULAR Swindon DJ died in an horrific car crash because Thames Water failed to repair a water leak, an inquest heard.

Travis Bryan, 32, who regularly organised club nights and played in Swindon as DJ Truss, died in a car crash between Ogbourne St George and Chiseldon early on November 14 last year.

Yesterday family members heard how Mr Bryan lost control of his girlfriend's Peugeot 306 shortly after 3am on the A346.

PC Mark Morrison who arrived at the scene, said tests revealed the car was travelling at a speed of at least 80mph when it skidded on ice on the brow of a hill. The car flipped and ploughed into a tree. Mr Bryan, who lived in Chippenham, was declared dead at the scene.

Thames Water admitted that it had known about drainage problems on that stretch of the road since July but had failed to take action.

It was revealed that drainage problems had led to an 11cm puddle forming on the road.

In a statement from Bethna Henderson, 50, of Ogbourne St George said she had phoned Thames Water to report the leak in the summer. She had then contacted them again just a few days before the accident to demand why no action had been taken.

A blocked drainage gully meant that water could not be dispersed, the inquest was told. Both repairs were carried out hours after the accident.

Officers who arrived at the scene said the puddle had frozen.

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters accepted that a combination of the excessive speed, Thames Water's failure to act and a blocked drainage gully the responsibility of Wiltshire County Council caused the accident.

Recording a narrative verdict he said: "It was a combination of all of these factors that led to this horrific collision and Travis' loss of life.

"PC Morrison told us that if there had been no standing water there would have been no reason for this collision to have occurred. But he said that the excessive speed was the pivotal reason."

A narrative verdict can be recorded by a coroner if it suits the case better than traditional verdict statements.

After the inquest Hilary Bennett spokeswoman for Thames Water said: "The death of Travis Bryan was a tragic accident. We have since carried out our own investigation and reviewed the way in which we deal with leaks during freezing weather.

"As a result, we have revised our procedures to ensure that the repair of such leaks is given a more urgent priority."

DAYS after the accident friends and family of the DJ held a special tribute night in his honour.

Mr Bryan's girlfriend Charlotte Richings, 22, of Ogbourne St George urged anyone who knew him to attend an event called the Urban Chic night at The Apartment, which Mr Bryan organised and was promoting on the night he died.

Miss Richings said at the time: "It was his dream to take this forward and it would be his wish for us to carry it on.

"He was always happy. He was a great guy and everybody loved him."