A FATHER-OF-THREE died after being thrown head first from a motor scooter into a wall.
Alan Collins, 38, of Cherry Street, Elsecar, lost control of the moped as he took a right turn on Hill Street by the junction of Wilkinson Road. The scooter hit the kerb throwing him off the machine. He suffered severe facial and head injuries.
The crash occurred at 1.34pm last Friday.
Mr Collins’ ex-partner Claire Vickers said he had only just left the house the two still lived in together.
She said: “I heard sirens a couple of minutes later and I knew straight away something had happened to him. I started running down the street.
“Everyone's devastated, totally devastated.”
It was the first time Mr Collins, who was between jobs, had been on the black Gilera motor scooter. He had borrowed it from a friend that day.
Mr Collins was born in Barnsley, one of ten brothers and a sister. He attended the Priory, Lundwood, in the early eighties and was a keen bird collector with a large outdoor aviary. He leaves three daughters, Laura, 19, Emma, 16, and Rebecca, 12.
Witnesses should contact 0114 2202970.
