The Lollipop Express: Crash survivor's plea to find victim's brother more than 50 years on from tragedy

Margaret Reed, was just nine-years-old when her train carrying dozens of pupils from the borough, crashed on the way to York on May 28, 1964.

She was in the carriage next to the one which twisted and contorted in Cheadle Hulme while it was travelling across a bridge which collapsed.

Ms Reed was close friends with Louis Stevens, one of the two pupils killed in the crash along with Christine Heffernan, and is now desperately trying to get in touch with his younger brother Vincent who she believes lives in Belgium.

She told the Express & Star: "I just remember we got to Cheadle Hulme and the carriage started to bump quite severely. Afterwards it was all twisted. It was completely on its side.

"Everything come to a standstill.

"I was in the carriage next to the one which had Louis and Christine in, as well as John Gibson who was one of the children injured. He lost an arm.

"They had to smash our windows to get to us. We were in there about 15 minutes after it happened.

"We just didn't know what had happened and were just frightened and alarmed. I was only nine at the time."

Ms Reed, a mother two who now lives near Blackpool, recalls being taken by coach to a nearby community hall where a WI group brought them soup and drinks.

After being kept there a while they were eventually taken back to Stafford train station where she recalls the heartbreaking moment Louis's dad was given the devastating news his son had been killed.

She said: "When I started school my mum and Louis Stevens' mum were very good friends.

"They walked to school together on the day we started so I got to know Louis.

"After the crash we were taken back to the station for what seemed like an eternity. Louis's dad was waiting at the station for news. He had come up on his bike, I just remember him going away in tears.

"My dad came to pick me up and he told me Louis had died."

A British Rail representative who helped put the trip on was the third person killed while 27 of the children were hospitalised by the crash.

Two years ago hundreds of pupils attended a memorial event at St Austin's Catholic Church to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.

But Ms Reed missed the ceremony not knowing anything about it at the time.

She said: "Something like that (the crash) always stays in the back of your mind but it has come up again since the reunion.

"Vincent was Louis' younger brother and I would appreciate the help of anyone who can help me get in touch with him."

Anyone with information who can help Ms Reed can email her at margaretreed@btinternet.com