Tribute to Bolton teaching assistant who died in car crash

Helen Booth, from Bromley Cross, died aged 51 after a Tesla she was a passenger in was involved in a crash with two other vehicles in Inverness last Monday at around 12.10pm.

Emergency services were called to the A96 at Redhill, near Inverness, following a crash involving Tesla car, a Citroen Dispatch van, and a heavy goods vehicle.

The teaching assistant from Bolton had been away in Nairn with her husband Mick and childhood friend Chris Haycock and his partner Anushka, when tragedy struck.

Chris also died a couple of days later on Wednesday, February 14.

Mick said: “Our family is heartbroken with the loss of Helen, but we have been overwhelmed by the many, many messages of condolences from family, friends and even people who we’ve never even met.

“We didn’t realise how popular and loved Helen was.

“Helen touched all of our hearts in such a special way.

“She was the most caring, kind and fun-loving soul.”

Helen, born in 1972 and brought up by her parents, Alan and Pat Whitehead in Edgworth, married Mick 20 years ago and leaves behind two sons, 24-year-old Liam and 21-year-old James.

Mick said: “Helen was well known and loved by colleagues and pupils at Chorley New Road Primary School, where she was a teaching assistant.

“She loved her job there and made so many close friends through working at many of the local primary schools in the Bolton area.

“We met at her uncle Peter’s 40th birthday party at The Railway pub in Bromley Cross.

“Chris and Helen grew up together and were like brother and sister.

“Chris and Helen’s brother Neil, who also lives in Scotland, introduced Helen to the North of Scotland, and Helen liked nothing better than walking her beloved dogs on the beaches there.”

Helen’s youngest son, James, who was also in the car, was left with concussion and bruising after the crash.

Mick said: “The staff at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and the police involved have been so caring and couldn’t do enough to help us during this horrific time.”

Details of Helen’s funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Police in Scotland are investigating the crash.

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Sergeant Calum MacAulay said: “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of Chris and Helen at this difficult time.

"We continue to support them and they have asked for their privacy to be respected.

"Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the crash.

"I would ask anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident, or anyone with information that could assist our investigation to please get in touch.

"Likewise, anyone with relevant dashcam footage who has not already passed this to officers is asked to please contact us.”

Anyone with information can call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 1,230 of Monday, February 12, 2024.