'I lost my son in horror crash, one change could have saved him'

The devastated mum of one of four teens killed in a camping trip tragedy has secured a parliamentary debate – following months of tireless campaigning.

Crystal Owen's son Harvey and three pals drowned when their car crashed into a ditch and overturned. Since that day, Crystal has been pushing for graduated licences - where new drivers are restricted in the speed they can drive and number of passengers they can carry.

Now, with the help of her local Labour MP Julia Buckley, she has secured a backbench debate at Westminster Hall on January 28 – with MPs including Alison Gardner, Bayo Alaba, John Milne and Dr Scott Arthur due to attend. Debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister.

Crystal, 40, told The Mirror: "I am deeply grateful that my MP, Julia Buckley, has secured a parliamentary debate on the urgent need for safer laws for young drivers. This is a crucial step in addressing a public health crisis, with too many young lives being lost in preventable road deaths every day."

Harvey, 17, and friends Hugo Morris, 18, Wilf Fitchett, 17 and Jevon Hirst, 16 crashed near Garreg, North Wales on November 19 2023. A senior coroner in October said the tragedy had been preventable and blamed a lack of driver experience. The inquest heard Hugo likely lost control when he approached a bend "a little bit too quickly and understeered".

Crystal, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, continued: "Losing a child in a road traffic collision is a pain that no words can fully capture, but the heartbreak is even more unbearable when you know it could have been avoided. I hope this debate forces everyone to confront the scale of the problem - every day without action means more