Bradford's Beckfoot Thornton school headteacher killed in cycling accident

A school in Bradford has announced the death of its "wonderful" headteacher in a cycling accident.

Jeremy Richardson, 61, the headteacher at Beckfoot Thornton secondary school and a father of three, suffered fatal injuries in the incident in Bradford on Wednesday, 22 June.

In a letter to parents, Shirley Watson, the chief executive of the school trust, said: "Our community has lost a great leader and a wonderful man.

"More importantly, his wife and three children have lost a much-loved husband and father and our hearts go out to them at this tremendously sad time."

Mr Richardson, a former Ofsted inspector, joined Beckfoot Trust in 2017 and was appointed headteacher of Beckfoot Thornton in April of that year.

Ms Watson said the school had been "transformed" under his leadership.

"His passing is greatly felt by us all," she wrote.She added: "Every decision he made had student learning at the heart. His excitement andlove of school improvement was palpable and infectious, and we know that he whole-heartedly loved his job and his school."

The school was already due to close on Friday, 24 June, for a training day, but would reopen on Monday in line with the family's wishes, she said.

West Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses over the collision, which happened on Byron Street in Bradford at 6.38am on Wednesday.

The driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene and is helping police with their enquiries.

Officers want to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who has dash cam footage of the collision itself.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.