'What we're going through is torture' - Hit-and-run victim's mum shares pain ahead of Parliament visit

Mandy Oliver, whose son Will Rogers, 26, died at Diddlebury, near Craven Arms, last year, will meet MPs on Wednesday.

Mandy, who will be at the House of Commons with her daughter and Will’s sister, Lydia, told how the loss of her “gentle giant” son was “the worst thing that could have happened to our family”, and that campaigning and supporting other bereaved family is what is keeping her going.

“It’s an opportunity we can’t miss out on,” she said. “We have to do this for Will, in his memory.”

Will, an agricultural contractor who was popular in south Shropshire rugby circles, died on April 30 last year on the B4368 at Diddlebury.

Christopher Carloman, aged 57, of Blakemore, Brookside, Telford, was due to appear in court this week. He is accused of failing to stop and report the accident. However, the case has been adjourned.

Will’s death came just months after Dylan Price was killed in a hit and run on the B4385 Brampton Road in Bishop’s Castle the day before his 18th birthday. The culprit has still not been found.

Ahead of the trip to the Commons, Mandy shared the pain that has been caused by what happened to her son.

"What we are going through is just torture," she said. "Losing Will was the worst thing that could have ever happened to all of us. It's so cruel.

"Christmas was hard. We've got my little granddaughters so we tried to make it a good Christmas for them, but it just wasn't the same. He loved Christmas.

"It's silly things that set you off. My two-and-a-half year-old granddaughter Millie had a kid's toy motorbike. I was helping her go backwards and forwards on it. I wanted to send Will a video but you remember you can't."

She added: "He loved Terry's Chocolate Orange and I bought him one and put it in his stocking for as long as I can remember. I saw one in the shop and that set me off as well.

"We just miss him so much. He was just a big, gentle giant. Always singing."

Mandy and Lydia will be at the House of Commons with the charity RoadPeace, which supports families which have been bereaved by road collisions.

They will be speaking to MPs in support of the charity's "remain and report" campaign, which calls for new criminal charges of failing to remain at the scene of a serious or fatal collision, a reduction in the reporting time allowed - which is currently 24 hours - and an immediate driving licence suspension for those arrested on suspicion of causing a serious injury or fatality.

Mandy said: "When the police first told us the news (that Will had died), they then offered us support through RoadPeace. They have been absolutely amazing.

"Given the circumstances with what happened to Will, they told us about the Remain and Report campaign. I think for us to support the campaign is something that Will would have wanted. He always wanted to helped everybody.

"If our way forward is to help other people in the same situation, that's a focus that we can use to try and help us through.

"All the MPs will be in the building. I'm hoping for Boris (Johnson). I've invited Philip Dunne (Ludlow's MP). He said he's going to try and come along.

"We're going to tell the MPs how it has all affected us. Other families will be there doing the same. The law needs to be changed."

She added: "I'm just hoping I hold it together in front of the MPs. I'll try my best.

"It's an opportunity we can't miss out on. It's something we've got to do for Will."