The family of a man who died in an M60 collision have paid tribute and thanked the emergency services who attended.

Anthony Pilling (37) died on New Year’s Eve, the day after a car he was driving was in collision with another vehicle on the M60 near Stockport.

The vehicle overturned at around 5.41am and Anthony was taken to Salford Royal Hospital in a critical condition.

Family tribute

His family from Gorton has released a tribute: “Anthony was the life and soul of any room he walked in to; he would have you crying with laughter with his little one-liners.

“Our Ant lived his life to the fullest and danced like nobody was watching. He was one in a billion and if love could have saved him he would have lived forever.

“We as a family would like to say thank you to all of the emergency services who tried to save our Ant. We appreciate everything you all did to help. We now would like the time to grieve for our Anthony.”

The driver of the other vehicle remained at the scene to assist police – no arrests have been made as investigations continue.

Mr Pilling’s death has been referred to the coroner.

Witnesses needed

Police are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone who may have dashcam footage of the incident, to come forward and help with enquiries.

Information can be shared by calling GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4741 quoting incident number 662-30/12/2023,  via the GMP website using the ‘report’ tool or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Signage specialist FASTSIGNS Bolton, is helping a bakery chain with its plans to expand beyond the North West.

Carrs Pasties, based in Bolton, has been serving freshly-baked, high-quality goods to locals since 1938.

Traditionally a food manufacturer, in recent years it has evolved its business strategy to include a reseller model, distributing its products to intermediaries such as convenience stores and petrol forecourts.

Bolton’s team of signage specialists were tasked with expanding the bakery’s brand presence to locations including Nottingham, Birmingham and Hereford, as well as supporting its business expansion model which aims to increase revenue and grow customer reach.

FASTSIGNS Bolton conducted several site surveys across the UK – from Cumbria to South Wales – to establish the feasibility of Carrs Pasties brand launching into other territories.

Branding solutions

The team of seven then designed, manufactured and installed a full suite of branding solutions, including bollard covers, window graphics, sign trays and custom magnetic packs for pastie warmers, at both new strategic locations and existing retailer sites.

Since the project’s completion, FASTSIGNS’ solutions have improved Carrs Pasties’ brand awareness in locations beyond the North West, while also increasing sales for its Bolton-based resellers by 25 percent.

Its work with Carrs Pasties was recently the recipient of the Project of the Year Award at the annual FASTSIGNS convention, hosted at St George’s Park in Burton-upon-Trent, commending the Bolton team’s work to raise the profile of a regional brand.

Nick Ratcliffe, director of FASTSIGNS Bolton, said: “The nation loves baked goods, so working on this project to make more people – across the UK – aware of the delicious products that Carrs Pasties deliver, has been a real pleasure. Getting a brand recognised on a national stage is an amazing achievement; and being a part of their ambitious growth plans has been hugely rewarding.

“No matter what industry, signage is crucial; it provides clear and effective communication, guidance, information and enhances safety in various environments. Creating brand awareness and supporting brands with their growth strategies, from a signage perspective, is just a small part of the myriad of signage solutions that we have on offer here at FASTSIGNS Bolton.”

A woman who has tirelessly campaigned about the dangers of open waters following the death of her son, has been awarded an MBE.

Debbie Ann Turnbull (pictured) who is originally from Warrington, was hailed for her services as a campaigner and educator of young people and their families.

She established the River And Sea Sense (RASS), as a non-profit organisation with charitable objectives in September 2008 in Llandudno, and is overwhelmed by the announcement.

Debbie, who now lives in North Wales, said: “This MBE means the world to me in that I will be able to promote my water safety messages far and wide to save more lives.  I feel it adds credibility to my work and I hope that it will attract more working partnerships and potential speaking opportunities”

Debbie first began speaking in schools in 2006 after the funeral of her beloved son Christopher, who sadly drowned age 15 while swimming in open water with friends.

It is her mission to educate young people and families to save lives through educating about the dangers of open water – and to support families who have lost a child or family member to drowning.

So far she has spoken to and educated over 700,000 young people to date about river and sea safety. She plans to deliver training to teachers in another 60 schools across the UK in 2024. She will speak at many networking events and professional conferences too both as a water safety educator and advocate including as an inspirational mother with a powerful story to tell ‘From Loss To Legacy’.

Debbie also plans to write a book with the same title to support families who have faced challenges and to inspire young women and girls to become whoever they want to be.