Van driver dies in head-on smash

The driver of the Ford Transit van died at the scene of the collision on the B6463 Blyth Road, near Tickhill Spital, and it took almost two hours for his body to be recovered. He was named by police today as Peter Kirsopp, a 49-year-old fencing contractor, who lived in Oxford Street, Rossington.

His passenger, a 25-year-old man form Scawthorpe, was airlifted to hospital with serious chest and leg inj-uries, while the driver of the lorry, from Rawmarsh, was taken to Bassetlaw Hospital suffering from whiplash and later released.

Firefighters from Maltby, Rotherham and Harworth attended at the scene, about 500m south of the junction with Bawtry Road, and worked to free the man but ehe died while still in the vehicle.

The Yorkshire Air Ambu-lance attended and transported the other man, who also had to be cut free from the wreckage, to the North-ern General Hospital in Sheffield.

The road was closed by police immediately after the collision, which occurred at around 4.40pm yesterday. Today they appealed for witnesses to come forward by calling 0114 2202970.

It is expected an inquest will be opened next week.