Christmas quad bike girl, 7, killed in head-on crash with Range Rover
By JULIE MOULT, EMILY ANDREWS and CHARLOTTE GILL » Last updated at 17:39pm on 27th December 2007
The seven-year-old riding a quad bike smashed into a Range Rover on a country lane in Blackmore in Essex
A seven-year-old girl described as an "angel" died after she careered into a car on a quad bike she had been given for Christmas.
Elizabeth Cooke was following behind her father's Range Rover with her brother on Boxing Day evening when it appears she lost control of the bike she was driving and swerved into the path of an oncoming 4x4.
At the time, it was not believed her injuries were serious and she returned to her home half a mile away. But later she fell gravely ill and had to be airlifted to hospital where she later died.
Last night, family friend Ruth Wilson said: "She was a little angel with white hair. She was absolutely perfect and was loved by everyone.
"She loved horses. Her mum used to bring her horse to school for Elizabeth to ride home. "They were wonderful parents, really lovely."
Mr Cooke - who runs an organic egg business from his 49 acre farm in rural Blackmore near Chelmsford in Essex, was yesterday trying to come to terms with the death of his daughter.
He said: "Obviously we have just lost our child and now is not the time to be making tributes. The last thing we want to do is talk about this publically.
"We just want to be able to grieve in private."
His partner, Lizzie's mother Claire, was said to be in "absolute pieces".
Last night their were questions being raised as to why Elizabeth - known as Lizzie - and her nine year-old brother Jack had been allowed to ride on a road.
It is possible their parents - who gave the children the quads just the day before - may face charges.
Although it is legal for modified quad bikes to be used on public highways, it is not legal for anyone under the age of 16 to drive a vehicle. A crash helmet must be worn.
The Quadzilla Pro-Shark quad bike, the model believed to be being driven by the seven-year-old, is designed for use by children in fields.
A spokesman for road safety charity Brake, said: "Under no circumstances should a child be riding one of these vehicles on a road - whether as a driver or passenger.
"Even with permission to use the machines on private land, children shouldn't be put in control of them - the sheer power and speed of them is dangerous wherever they are used."
According to friends Mr Cooke allowed the excited children to follow behind his Range Rover as he drove the half mile to pick up an elderly couple who were to have Boxing Day dinner at the family's home, Bluebell Farm.
Lizzie - who attended the local school Blackmore County Primary - and her brother were just metres behind their father's vehicle as they headed home just after 6pm.
They had motorcycle-style lights on the front of the red bike called a Pro Shark.
Police are looking into the theory that Lizzie swerved out across the unlit lane - which has a 60mph speed limit - and directly into the path of the oncoming car - also a Range Rover.
The elderly woman who was in the back of the car and asked not to be named, said: "They had ridden over on their quad bikes, they got them for Christmas.
"They had come to pick us up to go back to their house.
"They both had lights on them (the quad bikes) like motorbike lights. I got in the back of the car and I was watching out of the back to make sure we didn't lose them.
"A car came past and I said to Gary 'One of the lights has gone, one of them has come off the bike'."The woman in the car stopped."
"It's such a trauma, I'm in shock. She was such an intelligent girl, very pretty and full of life."
The driver of the red Range Rover - a 28-year-old woman from the local area - stopped immediately at the scene. Believing her injuries to be minor, Mr Cooke said to her: "Don't worry, she's not badly hurt."
But when they arrived back home, they realised her injuries were much worse and they dialled 999.
An air ambulance took her to Broomfield Hospital. A post mortem will be held in the coming days to determine the cause of death.
The 28 year-old driver was later arrested but tested negative for drink and drugs and was released without charge, pending further investigations.
A spokesman for Essex Police said: ""A red Range Rover and a Shark quad bikestruck each other.
"The rider, a seven-year-old girl who lived locally,was conveyed to Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital by ambulance but sadly died soon after arrival.
The spokesman added: "It is illegal to ride a quad bike on the road underthe age of 16. Police officers will continue their investigation into thecircumstances surround the crash.
"A post mortem examination is due to be held this week to establish acause of death." Mr and Mrs Cooke also have an 18-month-old baby named Charlotte and self-made millionaire Mr Cooke has several children from a previous marriage.
He made his fortune from an organic egg business and an air-conditioning company, Franklyn Air.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "Elizabeth was a tiny blonde little thing.
"She was a very sweet little girl.
"I've often seen Claire taking the ponies to school to collect the children."
Another neighbour, Hayley Davies, 35, that the country roads around Blackmore are often used as a shortcut to nearby Chelmsford.
She said: "My children don't hack out their ponies in the afternoon because the roads are too dangerous, they use it as a racetrack.
"It's such a tragedy that something like this has happened, I really feel for them."
Source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770
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