Family launch safety campaign in memory of pregnant mum killed by speeding driver

• ITV Granada Reports journalist Jennifer Buck reports on the campaign started by the family of Frankie Jules-Hough

A 10-year-old boy left in a coma following a car crash which killed his pregnant mum is hoping his hand-drawn superheroes will save future lives.

Frankie Jules-Hough, 38, and her unborn daughter Neeve were killed when their car, on the hard shoulder of the M66 in Bury, was hit by a driver filming himself at speeds of 123mph.

Her then nine-year-old son Tommy was left in a coma for 10 days, while her nephew Tobias was in a coma for 17 days.

Adil Iqbal, 22, was steering with one hand and holding his phone with the other to film himself as he tailgated and undertook other vehicles and swerved across lanes in his father’s BMW car on 13 May 2023.

The mum had pulled over on the hard shoulder with a tyre puncture and was making a call to say she would be late when Iqbal ploughed into her stranded car.

Frankie, who was 17 weeks pregnant, died two days later in hospital surrounded by her family, having never regained consciousness. Neeve died with her.

Now, marking one year since her death, her family have launched a road safety campaign to keep their names alive, and save other lives in the future.

Frankie and Neeve's Academy includes a film created by Frankie's son Tommy, who is now 10.

He has made four teenage characters who transform into safety superheroes called Stop, Think, Click and Clunk, whenever they get a call about people being in danger on the roads.

Tommy said: "I want to go into schools and teach people about how to drive safe on the roads and not speed and break the law.

"There are four teenagers and they have a watch on their wrist and it beeps every time someone is in danger.

"Like superman they turn into their costumes and go to the rescue.

"I got ideas and references off cartoons that I watch, and the rest is me. People think it's really good."

Frankie's son Tommy, 10, has created a film to be shown to other children to teach them about being safer on the roads.

Frankie's dad Frank says the aim of the campaign is to teach children about safety in cars from primary school age.

It is hoped it will then empower them to correct their parents if they are speeding or on the phone while they are driving, as well as growing up with that mentality it is wrong.

He said: "Everything out there at the moment is about consequence, we're all about early education, not to try and change mindsets but to instil mindsets.

"We're starting with children from school years 1 and 2 and folowing them all the way through their school life until they become drivers.

"It's about educating them to have a voice, to challenge their friends if they're using a phone in the car, to challenge your parents.

"The evidence shows that although it does affect some people when you do consequence-led learning, there's always that 'well it won't happen to me', but when you are being challenged in your car by your child, you will listen."

He added: "This campaign is turning all that horror into something really positive, and creating a legacy in the name of Frankie and Neeve.

"It feels like I'm not letting them go but carrying them with me everywhere."

Frank Hough, Frankie's dad, spoke to ITV Granada Reports journalist Claire Hannah as the family launched the campaign with a charity walk.

To launch the campaign, and the Frankie and Neeve charity, around 60 family and friends did a 13 mile walk from Dovestones reservoir in Oldham.

The mileage picked to mark the date of the crash.

As part of the campaign the family are hoping to create a virtual reality game to better educate young people on safe driving.

The Frankie & Neeve Road Safety Academy wants to create a game that uses VR headsets to replicate what it is really like to be in a car crash.

They are hoping the reconstruction, which is not real and involves actors, will target teenagers in the classroom.

Iqbal, who killed Ms Jules-Hough, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2023 after admitting to causing death by dangerous driving, and banned from driving for 14 years.

But, following an appeal the decision was reviewed and three Court of Appeal judges increased it to 15 years after deciding the original punishment had been "unduly lenient."