Popular student dies in crash

Published: 10:53 AM February 8, 2006 Updated: 8:02 PM February 22, 2021

TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Longsands pupil who died on Sunday after the car he was in hit a tree. Jamie Pates, 18, from Eaton Ford was travelling with Mark Sadler, also 18, from St Neots. They were travelling towards Great Barford, on a quiet cou

TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Longsands pupil who died on Sunday after the car he was in hit a tree. Jamie Pates, 18, from Eaton Ford was travelling with Mark Sadler, also 18, from St Neots.

They were travelling towards Great Barford, on a quiet country road, the C56 Barford Road, just about to join the A603 Bedford Road going towards Great Barford. The car went on to the grass verge and hit the tree before coming to rest in a field.

Jamie, a keen sportsman, who played football, squash and tennis, was killed instantly. Mark was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, with serious injuries.

Rob Whatmough, principal of Longsands College in St Neots, said the boys were both popular and hardworking students. Jamie had a very cheerful outlook and was a particularly talented sportsman. He had represented Crosshall Junior School and Longsands College in football tournaments and trained with local clubs. He was also a keen fisherman and active in tennis and squash.

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Mr Whatmough added: "Jamie was in year 13 and had grown up with a number of students who had come with him from junior school. Many students knew him well and were very distressed at the tragic news when it was announced in assembly. Our thoughts are very much with Jamie's family. We are deeply saddened."

Mark left Longsands at the end of year 11 in 2004. His head of year, Kate Smyth, said: "Throughout his time at Longsands, Mark was a very good, hard-working student who was popular with his peers and staff. He had many interests including a passion for fishing."