A FIREFIGHTER whose niece was killed in an horrific car crash in Neston involving a drink-driver does not want any family to have to go through the pain he did.

Mark Thomas, Liverpool District Fire Station manager, has spoken about the death of his 19-year-old niece Michaela Favager in a bid to save lives as part of a crackdown on drink-driving.

He has attended dozens of traffic accidents during his 18-year career but the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol were brought home in July 2009.

Michaela, along with driver John David Aston, 20, who was more than three times over the drink-drive limit, Gillian Fowle, 43, and Edward Thomas Smith, 19, all from Neston, died after the car they were in crashed and split in two.

Mr Thomas, who was speaking out as part of Merseyside Police’s Christmas drink-drive campaign, said: “I have been in the fire service for 18 years and I’ve lost count of the number of collisions that I have attended where alcohol was a factor.

“Sadly, experiences in my professional role became a personal reality for me and my family last July.

“My colleagues from Heswall and Upton attended a fatal accident in Neston where four young people had died at a horrific scene – my 19-year-old niece was among them.

“She had been out that evening and got into a car with her friends; the driver had been drinking and it was later established that he was three-and-a-half times over the legal limit.”

He added: “Nothing will bring Michaela or her friends back. All we can hope is that others will learn from this tragic, needless and so easily avoidable carnage.

“I urge anyone thinking of drinking before driving to think again – and to passengers considering entering a car being driven by a drunk driver to think again.

The four friends, who were travelling in a purple Vauxhall Tigra, crashed on the A540 Chester High Road, just yards past a sign warning motorists there had been 59 accidents at the spot in the previous three years.

Collision investigator PC Peter McDonough told the inquest, held in May this year, the car had been travelling at about 65mph when the driver lost control in the 40mph zone.

Cheshire Constabulary launch Christmas Drink Drive Campaign page 19