Flytippers could be responsible for death of Sheffield man who crashed on a flooded road - report finds

Sean Salvin, aged 20, was driving along Ecclesfield Road, known as Wooley Wood Bottom, in heavy rain when he lost control of his red Volkswagen Golf and ploughed into a tree.

A report submitted by the council at a pre-inquest review at Sheffield Coroner’s Court shows that a car exhaust and bricks clogged pipes in the sewer system underneath the road, causing it to flood.

An inquest into the death is still to be held, but his family and friends believe Sean aquaplaned after hitting flood water.

Sheffield Council has confirmed the road was flooded in the report and launched an investigation.

The report said: “The debris was found to be obstructing the pipeline that passes flow to the trunk sewer resulting in an estimated 60 per cent - 70 per cent loss in outfall capacity.”

Manhole covers have been locked down to prevent further flytipping.

However, Sean’s family said that they don’t believe that the debris was left by flytippers and say that the maintenance of the sewer system is the problem.

Sean’s father Craig Salvin, said: “It would take two people to prise the lid off a manhole cover and then they’d have to put it back on again. It’s ridiculous. It is bad maintenance of the drains that is the problem. If they had checked them this wouldn’t have happened.”

“They’ve only cleaned up some of the drains, it is a more widespread thing, there is an issue further up the road too.”

New safety measures have been put in place on Ecclesfield Road since Sean’s death including reducing the speed limit to 50mph and highway drainage has been improved.

Craig Salvin described manhole covers along Ecclesfield Road, looking like ‘fountains’ on the day of his son’s death.

Yorkshire Water have installed a system in the sewers to warn of high sewage levels. However Sean’s devastated family said that this is not enough and are calling for average 30mph speed cameras to be installed along Ecclesfield Road.

Craig said: “There needs to be average speed camera s, it is cost effective as they would make the money back in fines. It would save a hell of a lot of lives.