Motorists drove past dying bridge fall victim

MOTORISTS drove past a dying man who had plunged 60ft from a bridge despite frantic attempts by a bystander to persuade the drivers to stop.

Eric Wilkinson, 63, a retired senior process operator at ICI, Huddersfield, was found lying beneath Scarborough's Spa Bridge on a pavement between two lines of traffic.

But yesterday's inquest was told that after passer-by Laura Hardy found him bleeding the only person to come to her aid was a woman walking a dog.

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Mr Wilkinson, of Honeywell Grove, Barnsley, had suffered multiple injuries and was certified dead at the scene by a ambulance service paramedic.

The hearing was told Mr Wilkinson had a bout of depression some years ago which led him to take an overdose but he seemed fine and had no health or financial worries.

On December 10 he went out without saying where he was going and was seen driving to Scarborough in the afternoon.

Mrs Wilkinson said he had no connections with the town other than he knew his wife loved the place and they had a touring caravan at nearby Lebberston.

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Shortly after 5pm, Ms Hardy, a postal worker, was out for a walk on Vernon Road when she heard a thud and found Mr Wilkinson lying face down and bleeding.

The 999 operator wanted her to turn the injured man onto his back but he was bleeding heavily. "I tried to stop some cars to get someone to help me but no one would stop," she continued.

A woman walking a dog turned Mr Wilkinson over. But by this time he was in a pool of blood that was running down the central reservation. Five minutes later, the paramedic appeared.

Coroner John Broadbridge recorded an open verdict, saying he was unsure Mr Wilkinson had intended to kill himself. "He might have slipped and fallen."