Changes have been made to an accident blackspot after an 18-year-old football fan tragically died just before Christmas last year. 

Sonny Farrier, 18, from Walker in Newcastle, died in early December 2023, when the van he was travelling in slid out of control on Butsfield Lane, locally known as Bogle Hole Lane, in Consett. 

Now, Durham County Council have made changes to the lane after a coroner concluded that the slippery road and poor weather conditions contributed to the teenager's death. 

Damaged signs have been replaced, sections of road repaired, and a new salt bin installed in response to the coroner's report, asking the council to make safety improvements to "prevent future deaths" this winter. 

Sonny died when ice caused the vehicle to skid down the road and hit a tree. When Sonny and his father, Lar, exited the vehicle, the teenager was struck by another car and passed away at the scene. 

At the teenager's inquest, coroner Jeremy Chipperfield has asked now Durham County Council to "effectively mitigate" slippery conditions on the lane. 

In his Prevention of Future Deaths report, coroner Mr Chipperfield wrote: "Having disembarked from the van, the deceased was struck by a car travelling in the same direction, a few minutes after the van; at the point of collision, the car was also out of control due to slippery conditions on the same stretch of Butsfield Lane.

"On the same day, at least two further independent incidents of loss of vehicular control were caused by slippery conditions on the same stretch of Butsfield Lane.

"In slippery conditions, and in the absence of effective mitigation, the passage of vehicular traffic along this stretch of Butsfield Lane presents a hazard and risk of death to road users."

Alan Patrickson, Durham County Council’s director of neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “Our thoughts and condolences remain with Mr Farrier’s family.

“We take our responsibility seriously to ensure the highway network is maintained in a safe and serviceable condition all year round. In response to the coroner’s report, we have carried out work to the area which included replacing damaged signs and repairing a section next to the road.

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"While our gritting routes concentrate on the priority road network, we have put an additional salt bin in this area for public use.”

Sonny's heartbroken mother, Haley, paid tribute to him, saying he was "the best person you could possibly imagine", saying that "everyone absolutely loved him" for his ability to click with anyone, and his sense of humour. 

Sonny was an apprentice plumber and gas fitter, and was an avid fan of Newcastle United, holding a season ticket at St James' Park.