Coroner demands improvements following death of 11-year-old girl

Ellie Thornton was knocked down as she crossed the road to her school bus stop – which had been moved to allow for building works.

Her family have now learned that no risk assessments were carried out by council officials, developers or the bus company prior to the accident.

Her parents were also shocked to learn risk assessments are not considered necessary when moving temporary bus stops, even if they can be moved for as long as two years or are on school routes.

Coroner Penelope Schofield has also expressed concerns about the lack of risk assessments and has written to West Sussex County Council asking for improvements.

Ellie’s father Ben Thornton, 41, of Shoreham, said: “From the moment Ellie was in hospital and I heard they had moved the bus stop my thought was ‘where would she have had to cross the road?’.

“From the day after, I contacted West Sussex County Council saying ‘please can you show me the risk assessment?’ But no one had done a risk assessment.

“No one thought about it.

“We want parents to be aware – don’t think West Sussex County Council is looking after your children.

“Temporary can mean more than a year and they don’t need to do any checks even if the main users are children.

“They moved the bus stop nearer to a national speed limit, closer to a section of road which already had safety concerns highlighted by locals, opposite a bus stop which had police tape around it from a collision previously, closer to danger.

“That’s the hard bit for us. Had we known it was being moved I would have done this before it was too late.”

Ellie divided her time between her mother and stepfather’s home in Thakeham, north of Storrington, and Ben’s in Shoreham.

On March 22, Ellie and a schoolfriend were crossing Storrington Road, Thakeham, to reach a temporary bus stop when she was knocked down. She died a week later in hospital.

Since Ellie’s death Ben and his wife Vicky have learned villagers had already raised concerns about the location of the temporary stop and the safety of children crossing the road to get to the bus stop serving Rydon Community College, which has now become Steyning Grammar, where Ellie was a piupil.

Ben and Vicky have obtained documents showing a pattern of concerns about safety on the road and the location of the bus stop.

In November 2016, developer Oakford Homes had discussed the need to move the stop with the parish council. The council had in turn stated it would be necessary for Oakford Homes to urgently notify/agree the temporary location with the bus company Compass.

Compass said it did not know the stop had moved even though drivers were stopping at a different location. In correspondence Ben and Vicky obtained before the coroner’s inquest Compass said it was “very concerned no one has contacted us previously about this matter since road safety is obviously of paramount importance”.

It said it “would immediately have looked into this further and discussed with West Sussex County Council the possibility of moving the stops”.

A brief risk assessment was carried out by the council after Ellie was knocked down but the engineer responsible did not carry out the checks at school time and was not aware a child had been injured at the location.

A member of the public had previously raised concerns with the council in February.

Vicky, 37, said: “This stop has been a school stop serving middle school aged children as young as ten years old. The difficulty for us is no one considered the users of the stop or took responsibility for their safety.”

“The children were crossing a dangerous road where cars often break the limit as they come into the 30mph limit. They moved the bus stop closer to this point. The community was already up in arms about the safety.”

The couple said they took comfort in the coroner issuing a letter of concern to the county council, but hoped it would lead to improvements.

Ben added: “West Sussex County Council and Oakford Homes did not accept any acountabilityfor the lack of full and proper risk assessment and it is clear that the needs of the development were prioritised over the safety of the children.”

A council spokesman said: “We are reviewing our risk assessment procedures for all bus stops, including temporary relocations. After such tragic accidents we carry out a full and thorough investigation and we will take on board the coroner’s findings and take any appropriate action.”

OUR GORGEOUS GIRL HAS SAVED SOMEONE ELSE

SHINING star Ellie Thornton has gone on to save at least one life through her donated organs.

Her father Ben and stepmother Vicky said allowing her organs to be used for donation during her last hours was a tough but essential decision as it was what Ellie would have wanted.

Some comfort has come from having been told that Ellie’s liver has been used to save a teenage boy and that her kidneys and pancreas have given two others another chance at life.

After being knocked down by a van driver on the B2139 Storrington Road in Thakeham on March 22, Ellie was flown by air ambulance to St George’s Hospital in London.

She spent one week in a coma but, despite the best efforts of all the staff on Pediatrics Care Unit, could not be saved.

While her parents waited they also had to make the toughest decision of their lives – the decision to allow her organs to be used to try to save someone else.

Ben said: “We wanted to do something for Ellie. This terrible thing has happened but if any good can come of it and changes could be made we have got to give it a try.

“When they asked us, it made me think about her and how she was. She was so worldly. 

“She would have been very matter of fact about it and said ‘they’re no good to me, why not give them to someone else who can use them?’.”

Ellie’s family has now received a letter from the teenager she helped save.

NHS Transplant services have told Ellie’s family that a man in his thirties received her kidney and pancreas.

A woman in her forties was given Ellie’s other kidney and the teenage boy her liver.

Ben said: “It was very hard to read the letter. You are reading a story about a family fearing the worst. 

“We have already had the worst, but for now at least they don’t have to.”

Vicky said: “Other than her brain injury there was nothing wrong with her.

“She has given those three people an opportunity of life.

Yesterday, Ellie’s family were honoured for their generous gift in a special ceremony for donors hosted by St John Ambulance

After Ellie’s death on March 29 her body was taken to Chestnut Tree House, which her family has close connections to and which Ellie had fundraised for, rather than a hospital mortuary.

It gave her parents the chance to say goodbye in more comfortable surroundings.

Vicky said: “They were amazing.

“Ellie had raised so much money for Chestnut Tree and they stepped in so quickly to help her and help us.”

In a heart breaking tribute to Ellie Ben said: “Our shining star Ellie was an incredible person.

“Since a very young age she had always been very confident, and outgoing, able to talk to anyone. People commented on how worldly she was and wise beyond her years.”

As a family their grief has been channelled into the hope that no other child will ever die crossing a road to a school bus stop.

West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield found that Ellie’s death was an accident but raised concerns about the lack of risk assessments surrounding the moving of school bus stops. 

“Our efforts to highlight these failings are for Ellie,” Ben said. “Our gorgeous clever talented daughter whose life has been so tragically cut short.

“As a family the impact of her loss is unquantifiable, each day is a struggle and we weep for her, deeply and without hope of her return.”

The couple said they were indebted to the emergency services who tried in vain to save Ellie, those who helped at the scene and St George’s hospital where she spent the last days of her short life. 

Ellie is also much missed by her mother Kerry, stepfather Adrian and younger siblings Felix and Sophia.

Since Ellie’s death thousands of pounds have been raised in her memory for Chestnut Tree House, Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and St George’s Hospital Charity.

To make a donation in Ellie’s memory visit ellie-thornton.muchloved.com