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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Graeme Murray

Heartbreaking last selfie of 'loving' dad killed on journey home from new job

This is the heartbreaking final picture of "loving" dad who was killed on his journey home from work.

James Duffy, 37, leaves behind a son, nine, and step-son after he died in a two car crash on the A449 in Ombersley, Worcestershire on Wednesday night.

He had sent a selfie to his sister Fiona Hall as he started a new shift as a pub chef and she has now shared the image in tribute to him.

James was travelling home when he "took a wrong turning" and was critically hurt in a head on collision.

He was pronounced dead at the scene while a motorist in another car also died in the 9.30pm incident.

BirminghamLive reports Ms Hall said: "We lost my beloved brother in a horrific car accident, leaving all of our hearts completely shattered.

"He had just done his shift at work, he had finished at 9.15pm. He took the wrong turning on that junction on the A449, he took the wrong road and was dead by just past 9.30pm."

James Duffy took a wrong turn on the way home from his new job (birminghammail)

Paramedics found two people critically hurt inside their vehicles at the scene.

Sadly, nothing could be done to save either crash victim and they both died on site.

James, a former chef in Midland prisons, was identified as emergency services found his prison belt and ID on the back seat of his car.

His family were given the tragic news by police officers at around 11.30pm the same day.

Fiona, a mum-of-two herself, paid tribute to her much-loved brother, telling BirminghamLive: "Everybody loved him. He was just a really, really good guy.

"He tried to help everybody, he was always trying to help me. He loved the outdoors, he was a real 'Bear Grylls'.

"He must have had about five or six campervans, he just loved getting out and he would drive and drive and drive.

"He would just set up a hammock in the middle of a forest and not once would he be scared - he was very adventurous like that."

The road where James was involved in a head-on collision (birminghammail)

James' family, including his partner, had already been under 'a little bit of pressure' as James was looking for work for a few weeks before starting his job at the pub.

"My brother was never out of work, he's always had a job since the age of 14, so there was a little bit of pressure on the family and James was doing his best to get work," Fiona, who is from the Castle Bromwich area, said.

"He had only just started, he was on his fifth shift at the pub where he worked. He really, really liked it. He seemed settled, he sent me a selfie and everything on Monday.

"Family life seemed to be a little bit easier knowing there would be two wages coming in again. Now, we need to try and get some support and help us through this process."

As his eldest sister, 45-year-old Fiona has taken on the responsibility to organise his funeral - however the pressure is huge amid money struggles, she said.

In a bid to give her brother the send off he deserves, she has launched a fundraiser for £5,000 towards funeral costs - people can donate here.

"Obviously, when he was so young, you don't even think that this is going to happen," she said, speaking on the plans for the funeral.

"We only just started talking about the funeral yesterday, and we were obviously wondering how we're going to get funds together. Because I'm his big sister, I've taken over this but I've never had to do anything like this ever before.

"And I am not a rich person, I haven't got thousands of pounds in my bank. I'm a single mum with two children and that's the only reason I set up that page - to get a little bit of support."

Any money left over from a 'really good send off' will go towards helping James' partner, son and step-son, she added.

West Mercia Police is continuing to appeal for information, with anyone who witnessed the incident urged to come forward. The force said its thoughts were with both families of the victims following the collision.

A police spokesperson said: "While the investigation is ongoing, officers believe that one of the cars, a white Ford Mondeo, was travelling in the wrong direction and will have joined the A449 after taking the incorrect slip road and collided with an oncoming car, a black Vauxhall Astra.

"We would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision and anyone who may have dash-cam footage that can help with our investigation. Our thoughts are with both families of the victims at what will be terribly sad time for everyone and next of kin of both victims have been notified.

"If you have any information that can help with our enquiries please call 101 or report it online quoting incident number 588i of 2 March 2022."

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