Teenager killed by HGV after night out in Morecombe

The boxing communities of Tameside and Morecambe united in grief earlier this year following the heart-breaking death of 18-year-old Leo Mountain, a talented young boxer who tragically lost his life after being struck by a lorry in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

Leo, a promising athlete and Northwest Region boxing champion, died on April 20 after he lay down on the A623 Bay Gateway in Morecambe and was hit by a HGV. An inquest into his death, held at Preston Coroner’s Court, revealed the tragic sequence of events that led to the fatal incident.

The court heard how Leo had been out drinking with friends over the Easter bank holiday. After being placed in a taxi by friends, he later exited the vehicle and walked through Morecambe before making his way onto the dual carriageway. It was there that he lay in the road and was tragically struck.

The lorry driver, who was travelling at the legal 40mph speed limit, initially mistook what he saw in the road for a “black bin bag.” Dash cam footage confirmed there was no time to take evasive action - just one to two seconds between seeing the object and impact. Street lighting along the road was said to be poor due to tree coverage, making visibility even worse.

Area Coroner Emma Mather described the case as “unbelievably tragic,” noting that Leo had high levels of alcohol in his system at the time and that there was no indication the driver could have avoided the collision.

“This has had a significant impact on the driver of the lorry too,” she said. “Leo was lying in the middle of a traffic lane in the early hours of April 20 when he was fatally struck. It’s not possible to determine the exact circumstances at the time of death, but I do not believe that there was any opportunity to avoid the collision.”

Leo was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple trauma injuries.

The conclusion of the inquest was that Leo died due to a road traffic collision.

Following his death, Leo’s family released a tribute to their “handsome, funny, dopy, hardworking, caring, beautiful boy.”

His mother said: “It is with massively heavy hearts that we: Lee, Lewis, Olivia and myself let people know that our youngest has decided to stay 18 forever.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every single message and call, you’ll never know what it means. Sleep tight our bambino.”

Credit: Morecombe and District Boxing Academy

Leo’s home club, the Coastal Amateur Boxing Club, also paid tribute to their much-loved fighter, writing: “Leo had a champion’s heart in and out of the ring. He was a fantastic young man, an absolute credit to himself and his family. Every boxer, coach and supporter had nothing but love for Leo - he was one of those people you couldn’t help but love.”

The club added: “Leo, you are a son, grandson, brother, friend, gentleman, fighter and a boxer. You’re respected by many, loved by many - and a CHAMPION. Forever in our hearts and minds, you’ll always be missed.”

In the wake of Leo’s death, two boxing clubs rallied to support his family. Tameside Elite Boxing Academy joined forces with the Morecambe-based Coastal Amateur Boxing Club to raise funds and honour Leo’s memory.

Steve Tallo-Brady, head coach at Tameside Elite, led the charge, donating proceeds from his latest and upcoming first aid courses to the fundraising effort. Both clubs also organised a memorial sparring day and encouraged the wider community to contribute.

“Leo was a fantastic young man,” Steve said. “What happened to him is just heart-breaking, and we wanted to do something, however small, to support his family and remember the incredible young person he was.”

A spar day in Leo’s honour was held at Tameside Elite Boxing Academy on Saturday, April 26^th, bringing together boxers, coaches and supporters from both clubs and beyond.

As the inquest concluded, Area Coroner Emma Mather emphasised the impact of the loss: “He sounds like a lovely young man. I can't quite imagine the pain his family must be feeling right now.”

Credit: Lancashire Police