New appeal for witnesses two years after M62 death of Ben Lloyd on Mad Friday

Anyone who saw Ben Lloyd before his death during the early hours of the morning following a night out in Pontefract on “Mad Friday” in 2013 are being urged to contact the police.

Mr Lloyd, 24, was hit by a car as he walked along the motorway just after 3.40am on Saturday, December 21, 2013.

It is not known why he was on the M62, walking in the opposite direction to his home in Womersley, after first getting into a taxi - a journey which police believe ended at the BP Garage in Glass Houghton at around 2.30am.

Two years on, police and Mr Lloyd’s family have made a fresh appeal for witnesses as they continue to try and establish his final movements.

Ben’s mum Jenny Lloyd also said anyone enjoying a Christmas night out this “Mad Friday” should make sure they take a safe route home.

She said: “Ben was popular and well known in the area and we appeal to the public to think back to Mad Friday on December 20, 2013, and provide any information that will help us understand exactly why and how Ben came to be on the M62.”

It is believed Mr Lloyd left the Malt Shovel in Pontefract with four people, including two women, at 1.30am and walked through the Corn Market to the Horse Vaults.

At around 2am he got into a silver Vauxhall Vectra taxi with the women. The taxi stopped at Natwest Bank on Ropergate before dropping the women off in the Smawthorne area of Castleford.

Police said they believe Mr Lloyd then got out of the taxi at the BP Garage on Park Road, Glass Houghton, at around 2.30am.

Det Supt Simon Atkinson, head of the major collision enquiry team, said: “Following an investigation immediately after Ben’s death and using CCTV and witness statements we were able to trace Ben’s movements from the town centre in Pontefract to the BP service station near to the Xscape complex at Glass Houghton.

“That, however, is where our confirmed picture stops.

“We would like to speak to anyone who may have remembered seeing Ben in the garage, or walking away from the garage towards the motorway that night, or has any information about him.

“We would also like to speak with a lone man who was running from Colorado Way across the A6539 Park Road and three men crossing underneath the eastern side of the M62 motorway at junction 32.

“It is possible these men may have come into contact with Ben and could have important information to help us understand just why he came to be on the motorway.”

Anybody who saw Ben on the night he died or has any information should contact police on 101.

An inquest into Mr Lloyd’s death is expected to be heard in March.