Girlfriend of tragic Sheffield cyclist says her heart was shattered when 'ghost bike' was stolen
“When the ghost bike disappeared, my heart broke”
The girlfriend of a cyclist killed on a notorious Sheffield road said her heart “shattered again” when a memorial bicycle was stolen.
Mónica Bolado said the white ‘ghost bike’ was more than a warning to everyone who passes the spot where Adrian Lane died, but also a symbol he would never be forgotten.
Mr Lane was killed in September 2022 on Ringinglow Road by driver Gillian Dungworth as she turned into Common Lane.
The father-of-two had been about to start a new life with Ms Bolado in Spain.
Ms Bolado, posting on Facebook, said she had recently come over to Sheffield to mark the fourth anniversary of his death.
She wrote: “After Adrian died, we placed a ghost bike at Common Lane - a white bicycle that stands as both a memorial and a warning, reminding everyone who passes of the precious life lost there.
“When the ghost bike disappeared, my heart broke.
“It was more than a symbol; it was a promise that he would not be forgotten.
“Every time I visited Sheffield, I would take flowers and keep his tribute dignified - and when I was far away in Spain, Adrian's friends tended to it with the same love.
“And then, one day it was gone, it simply vanished and my heart shattered all over again.”
A traffic island was installed on Common Lane after the accident.
Ms Bolado said it was a quiet reminder that safety matters, even if it wasn't the roundabout she hoped for.
She added: “It has been four years since I lost my soulmate. Time moves forward, but grief does not follow the same rules. It still feels like yesterday.”
In 2024, Gillian Dungworth, of Marlowe Road, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
She was attempting to turn right into Common Lane and hit Dr Lane after her view was temporarily obstructed by the car in front.
At the time Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said Dungworth would have sight of him for at most 4.28 seconds.
He added: “Although, it’s fair to observe that would have been reduced for a little bit because he was masked by the car that executed the right turn ahead of you.”
He sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and banned her from driving for five years.