Birkenhead man’s tragic motorway death phone call

Dec 9 2009 by Kevin Core, Birkenhead News

A DAD-OF-TWO asked his ex-partner to stay on the phone as his car crashed at high speed into a motorway barrier.

Michael Barrow, 30, of Sumner Road, Birkenhead, died on May 23 near junction 3 of the M53 at Woodchurch, Wirral Coroner’s Court heard.

Mr Barrow had lost his roofing business having been declared bankrupt in March and had suffered with bouts of depression.

The court heard he had split from Lola Heygarth, the mum of his two children Laila, eight, and Curtis, four, and there had been failed attempts to get back together.

In a statement to police Miss Heygarth said he had called earlier in the evening from a pub with friends but did not sound drunk.

She said: “At 11.45pm he called saying that he was in the car and was going to the motorway to find a place to kill himself.

“He said he couldn’t deal with life any more as too much had gone on.”