Hard-hitting message for young drivers takes to stage

Becca Dale (Front) with “The Split Second” actors (Robert Mallard, Mark Newsome and Lucy Ward.

THE sister of teenager Chris Dale, who was killed while crossing Lees Road, has launched a hard-hitting play in a bid to save lives.

Becca Dale helped devise a powerful play — “The Split Second” — aimed at young drivers which will tour schools across Oldham.

The 18-year-old hopes the play’s strong message will prevent other families from losing loved ones in the same way.

She said: “We wanted teenagers to think about the effect of driving recklessly.

“We’re not blaming only young people for reckless driving because adults do it too.

“But Chris was killed by a young driver so we wanted to change this attitude.”

Chris Dale, from Bramble Avenue, Moorside, was just 15 when he was struck by a car in June, 2009, as he crossed Lees Road in Salem, near the junction with Wellyhole Street.

Danny Pattinson (18), of Trows Lane, Rochdale, was found guilty of causing his death by careless driving last month and will be sentenced on Monday.

The play explores issues surrounding new drivers and has been created with the help of Oldham Theatre Workshop, Oldham Youth Council and the Every Life Matters: Chris Dale Campaign.

Actors aged 16 to 25 currently enrolled with Oldham Theatre Workshop will perform the roles to help connect with their target audience of 15 to 17-year-olds.

Becca, a journalism student at Sheffield Hallam University, has worked tirelessly to improve road safety since her brother’s death.

She set up the Every Life Matters: Chris Dale Campaign which secured a speed camera in Lees Road and initiated this project to promote awareness among school students.

She said: “The play is about young people learning to drive and how exciting it can be but also about losing concentration for that one moment in time.

“It is very powerful and upsetting, but Oldham Theatre Workshop have been involved at every single step and are an absolute pleasure to work with.

“I would hate anyone to be in the position that we as a family have been in so it is rewarding to feel you are doing something that will hopefully stop people going through what we have.”

Sarah Nelson, who wrote and produced the play, said: “The play doesn’t seek to demonise all young drivers as ‘boy racers’ — we all have those split-second moments when we get distracted.

“The aim is to make young people aware of their responsibilities behind the wheel and bring home to them the devastating effects of driving a potentially lethal weapon.”

The play was officially launched on Wednesday night at Oldham Theatre Workshop and will tour 12 schools across Oldham this month and in February next year.