'We are a grieving community': Sheffield church pays tribute to mum killed in horror crash

A Sheffield church has paid tribute to a ‘much loved’ family ripped apart by a devastating crash.
By Claire Lewis
Published 14th Oct 2020, 14:59 BST
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Former Sheffield woman Zoe Powell and three of her children died together in a collision in Oxford on Monday night.

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Tributes and teddy laid outside church as Sheffield mum and three children kille...

Tragedy struck when their family Subaru people carrier was involved in a crash with a lorry.

Floral tributes laid outside Chinnor Community Church in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, in memory of Zoe Powell, 29, and her three children - Phoebe, eight, Simeon, six, and Amelia, four - who were killed in a car accident on the A40 near Oxford on Monday night. - PAFloral tributes laid outside Chinnor Community Church in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, in memory of Zoe Powell, 29, and her three children - Phoebe, eight, Simeon, six, and Amelia, four - who were killed in a car accident on the A40 near Oxford on Monday night. - PA
Floral tributes laid outside Chinnor Community Church in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, in memory of Zoe Powell, 29, and her three children - Phoebe, eight, Simeon, six, and Amelia, four - who were killed in a car accident on the A40 near Oxford on Monday night. - PA

TRAGEDY: Heartbreaking first picture of Sheffield mum and her three kids killed in horror crash

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Zoe died with her daughters Phoebe and Amelia, who were eight and four, and six-year-old son Simeon.

Zoe’s 30-year-old husband, Josh, and their youngest daughter survived but remain in hospital in a critical condition.

Zoe and Josh were university students in Sheffield and had their first child in the city before moving to the village of Chinnor in Oxfordshire in 2014.

Zoe and Josh Powell with three of their four children (Picture: Sarah Mak Photography)Zoe and Josh Powell with three of their four children (Picture: Sarah Mak Photography)
Zoe and Josh Powell with three of their four children (Picture: Sarah Mak Photography)

Their three younger children were later born there.

Zoe and Josh were members of Christ Church Central on Fitzwilliam Street in the city centre during the years they spent in Sheffield.

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Church member Fiona Bronsdon today paid tribute to the pair.

“We are a grieving community,” she said.

“When Zoe and Josh were here they were very involved with the church and started their family when they were with us.

“They attended regularly and were very loved.

“I would describe them as warm, kind and generous people.”

She said the death of Zoe and three of her children had devastated the church family.

“It has hit us hard. Although they moved away a few years ago they still have some very close friends here. It is devastating,” she said.

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Fiona added: “We are a Christian community and are active believers and put our hope in Jesus and eternal life.

“It is times like this when you are really reminded of life’s frailty and how suddenly things can happen.”

Rev Dr Jacky Barr, from St Andrew’s Church in Chinnor, where Mrs Powell and her family were members of the congregation, said: “They were just a delightful family. The children were always very engaging.

“They were just a lovely family, they really were.

“This has come as such a shock and loss to us all in the area.”

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A friend and neighbour said the ‘whole family would do anything for anybody’.

Senior Investigating Officer Sergeant Dominic Mahon, of Thames Valley Police, said the crash was an ‘incredibly tragic’ and ‘horrendous’ incident.

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