BlogTribute paid to mum and son killed days before Christmas

Tribute paid to mum and son killed days before Christmas

The family of a parent and son who died in a road traffic collision in Oldham days before Christmas have paid their own tribute.

Clair (42) and Sam (15) sadly passed away as a result of their injuries at the scene of a serious road traffic on Ripponden Road.

Officers are still appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following the incident at around 4pm on December 23.

Police had received reports of two vehicles near Denshaw, being in collision.

A 35-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remains in custody for questioning.

Officers are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have footage, including dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV/doorbell footage from the area in the moments before the collision took place.

Tribute

Their family have said: “Clair was a smart, loving parent, daughter and sister who would do anything for anyone.

“Prior to the pandemic, Clair worked at the Bolton Theatre, supporting those facing Mental Health challenges.

“She loved going to pottery class every week and was such a creative person and she could go from a lump of clay to making whatever she put her mind to.”

“Sam was in Year 11, looking forward to studying music at college; he loved to sing and to play the drums. Listening to music was one of Sam’s favourite things to do, he was always around the house with his headphones on.

“When Sam wasn’t listening to music, he could be found in a world of his own playing on his computer. Sam’s family meant the world to him; he was a brother and son whose loss will leave a hole in our family forever.”

They added that Christmas without Sam and Clair would be immensely difficult for everybody who knew them both.

PC Thomas Johnson, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Our thoughts continue to remain with their family who are being supported by officers at this really difficult time.

“If you can help or have any information that may assist our enquiries, then please contact our Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4741, quoting incident 2304 of 23/12/2023.

Helen Greaney
Helen Greaney
I'm a journalist with more than 18 years' experience on local, regional and national newspapers, as well as PR and digital marketing. Crime and the courts is my specialist area but I'm also keen to hear your stories concerning Manchester and the greater North West region.
Latest

Dr Logic opens Academy training platform to the public, offering free professional training and soft-skills courses to all

LONDON, UK. September 3rd, 2026 - Dr Logic, an Apple-focused managed service provider, announced today that it is making its Academy training platform freely available to...

Manchester Businesses Urged to Tackle Late Payment as Unpaid Invoices Spike

MANCHESTER, UK — Businesses across Greater Manchester are being encouraged to take a more structured approach to chasing unpaid invoices, as new figures point...

EU Campaign encourages people to make Sober October the starting point for year-round mindful drinking

LONDON, UK. September 3rd, 2026 - Beer, wine and spirits specialists working with the EU’s “More Than Only Food & Drink” campaign have identified the...

BLUETTI Advances Smarter Energy Storage for Balcony Solar and Worksites at IFA 2026

BLUETTI ,a technology pioneer in clean energy, today showcased its Balco 500 smart energy solution and a range of new innovations at IFA 2026 in...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

Exeter homeowners warned: quotes for the same bathroom can differ by £6,500

EXETER, UK. September 2nd, 2026 - Homeowners across Exeter are choosing bathroom fitters on figures that cannot fairly be compared, according to a local installer...

Storm Season Opens: Southport Roofing Firm Says The Town’s Roofs Fail At The Fixings, Not The Slates

SOUTHPORT, UK. September 2nd, 2026 - The Met Office published its named storm list for the 2026/27 season on Tuesday. First on it is Storm...

Transense and Unison collaboration advances next-gen propulsion in hybrid-electric flight

BICESTER, UK. September 2nd, 2026 - Transense Technologies plc, a UK-based developer of advanced sensor systems, and Unison, a GE Aerospace company, have highlighted a collaboration that...

Manchester Businesses Urged to Tackle Late Payment as Unpaid Invoices Spike

MANCHESTER, UK — Businesses across Greater Manchester are being encouraged to take a more structured approach to chasing unpaid invoices, as new figures point...

More News

Ritherdon’s Latest Fire Safety Innovation Receives High Praise from Industry Leader

A major UK supplier serving the construction and fire protection industries has given a strong endorsement to Ritherdon’s latest passive fire safety innovation, describing...

Vega Introduces Detection Skills, The New Open Standard for AI Reasoning in Agentic Cyber Defense

Transforms static detection rules into a continuously improving agentic loop. Open to every Cyber Defender at detectionskills.io, natively integrated on Vega platform. LAS VEGAS –...

Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month Marks the Start of Two New Charity Partnerships for Mobility in Motion

During Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, Mobility in Motion has announced that it has formed new partnerships with Steel Bones and Finding...