Holbeach family upset by ‘tailgating’ lorry driver on funeral route
The family of well-known Holbeach musician David Stubbs (67) have lashed out at the “disrespectful” driver who “tailgated” them on the way to his funeral.
Mr Stubbs, who died last month after a two-year battle with cancer, was being taken to Surfleet Crematorium in a hearse on Friday when a highway maintenance lorry cut in between it and a limousine carrying his family.
Wife Sue and daughter Linzi Stubbs were shocked by the lorry driver’s actions and have urged people to “think twice” before deliberately following behind a funeral cortege.
Sue said: “As the hearse reached the McDonalds roundabout on the A16, having come from Holbeach, a lorry sat in behind it and in front of our funeral limousine
“It tailgated the hearse all the way along the A16 towards the crematorium when it could have turned off at the next roundabout (the B1180 West Marsh Road).
“For us, it was a heart in your mouth moment as my daughter was sat in the funeral limousine next to me.
“It shouldn’t happen and it’s an unwritten rule not to come in front of a funeral procession.”
Linzi, of Holbeach St Marks, said: “I was so angry and upset that the highway maintenance driver could be so disrespectful to my dad who was an amazing man, my hero and the soul of our family.
“Dad deserved every respect known to man and I’d just wanted the day to be perfect because Dad deserved it to be perfect.
“What’s amazed me is (I’ve found out since) how many people this has happened to and it’s just so disrespectful to the deceased, let alone the family.
I was so angry and upset that the highway maintenance driver could be so disrespectful to my dad who was an amazing man, my hero and the soul of our family
“I couldn’t believe that the lorry driver didn’t pull off at the second roundabout, choosing to tailgate the hearse instead which was disgusting behaviour.”
It is unclear who the lorry driver was working for but a spokesman for Morris and Haynes Funeral Directors of Holbeach, organisers of Mr Stubbs’ funeral, revealed that it was a “fairly common occurrence”.
The spokesman said: “Only on Tuesday, a car pulled out right in front of a funeral hearse that was on its way to Boston Crematorium.
“It’s a fairly regular occurrence, especially when you have ordinary cars in the funeral cortege.”
Linzi said: “I don’t want to single out this lorry driver, but I do want people to think next time they are behind a hearse and respect that person and their family.”
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