Young Liverpool star badly injured in fatal car crash

Apr 7 2008

Sean Highdale

A YOUNG Liverpool FC player is recovering in hospital after being involved in a horrific car accident which killed two people.

Liverpool FC are hopeful Sean Highdale will make a full recovery after the Academy youngster was involved in the accident which happened this morning.

The accident in Speke Boulevard, Halewood, involved a silver Vauxhall Astra and a Volkswagen Beetle.

Five 17-year-old boys were in the Astra, which crashed into trees and rolled onto its roof. Two were killed and two more were badly injured, one of whom was Sean, who has played for England at Under-16 level.

Police said some of the occupants were thrown from the vehicle as it turned over.

The Beetle driver suffered “minor whiplash” following the crash.

Liverpool FC said tonight they hoped Sean would make a full recovery.

Academy manager John Owens said: "It was a horrific crash but his injuries are not life threatening. We are hopeful he will make a full recovery.

"Obviously our thoughts at this time are with Sean's family and friends because he is a very popular lad at the Academy.

"We would also like to extend our deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones in the crash."

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: “Both cars were travelling in the same direction into Liverpool. The Vauxhall Astra went over trees and landed on its roof. There is nothing left of the Vauxhall Astra really.

“The Astra went into the back of the Beetle, which then collided with a lamppost and collided with fencing. Officers are attempting to work out who was where in the Astra and who was thrown out of the vehicle. The five 17-year-olds are from the Liverpool South area.”

One of the 17-year-olds died at the scene and the other died after he was taken to hospital.

Police named one of the dead teenagers as Kalam James Wooding from Halewood, Liverpool. The teenagers are not thought to be joyriders.

Speke Boulevard has been closed and traffic is being diverted onto the A562 from the A5300.