THE A49, which has been named as one of the most dangerous in the country has claimed three more young lives. Neil Smith (20) of Staunton-on-Wye,

Ryan Vincent (16) of Moor Street, Hereford and Lauren McCrerie (18) of Pigott Close, Hereford all died when the Rover 25 in which they were travelling was in collision with a Vauxhall Corsa and a Nissan

Primera on the A49 at Much Birch, the Hereford side of the Pilgrim Hotel.

A 21-year old male friend travelling with them remains in a critical condition with pelvic and internal injuries at Hereford County Hospital.

Two children travelling in the Nissan also received serious injuries. The 10-year old girl is still being treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital for a punctured diaphragm and her seven-year old brother has been released from hospital, having suffered a fractured right arm. Their parents received minor injuries. The Ross Gazette discovered before we went to press that the father of one of the victims, Lauren McCrerie died of a suspected heart attack just a day after his teenage daughter was killed in the car crash. The Gazette believes that Brian McCrerie, from Moniaive in Dumfriesshire, set off south alone by car the next day to see her body and help with the funeral arrangements. He made the 250 mile journey safely, but later died in his sleep. Police have renewed their appeal for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward. Anyone who saw the crash or the vehicles being driven along the A49 immediately beforehand should contact PC Paul Smyth of the Roads Policing Team at Hereford Police Station on 0300 333 3000. Jesse Norman has repeated his call for a full Highways Agency report into road safety on the A49, with rapid action to follow, after this tragic crash.Commenting on the accident, he said: "This appalling news underlines how important it is for the Highways Agency to reopen its files and actually do something meaningful to make the A49 safer. "Its "As I pointed out only a month ago, of the eight principal junctions on the A49 south of Much Birch, only two have no history of a collision. Now we need swift action."