THE grieving parents of a man killed in a road crash have said a heartfelt thank-you to well-wishers whose generosity meant they were able to afford his funeral.

Rock music fan James McDonald, 41, who had managed Shell petrol garages in Carlisle and Penrith, was fatally injured when the motorbike he was riding near his Chipping Norton home in Oxfordshire was hit by a car on Tuesday, December 11.

Despite the efforts of passers-by, and air ambulance staff, he died at the scene.

The 26-year-old driver of the car which hit James on the A424 was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and released on bail as the police investigation continues.

James, who studied at Newman School in Carlisle, and Carlisle College, had been due to marry his 26-year-old fiancée Sally Janice Sollis in November. She and James’s elderly parents have been left heartbroken.

As they struggle to come to terms with his premature death, James’s parents - Mike McDonald, 70, and his wife Margaret, 69, from Orton Road, Carlisle - have been comforted by the many tributes for their son, who managed the Shell garage in Chipping Norton.

The McDonalds have been helped by the spontaneous fundraising effort, which was supported by scores of people who recognised that the pensioners would have struggled to pay the huge cost of bringing James’s body home to Carlisle for the funeral.

The couple have been told they are facing a bill of around £5,000.

That will pay for both the funeral and the transport of James’s body.

The superb response to the online fundraiser set up by one of James’s bosses at Shell has meant that Mike - also known as Dermott - and his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease, now no longer have to consider remortgaging their family home to fund the funeral.

“I’ve contacted The Cumberland News because I want to say a big thank-you to everybody who has helped us, and to the people who tried to help James on the day of the accident,” said Mike, close to tears.

“We also want to thank the air ambulance staff, and the people who stopped to help James.

“The police in Oxfordshire and the police family liaison officer in Carlisle have been wonderful; the coroner has been helpful; and everybody has been brilliant with the fundraising.

“We had the funeral last Thursday, at St Bede’s Church on Wigton Road, followed by a burial at Carlisle Cemetery, and there was a brilliant turnout.

“We’ve had an estimate for the bill for £4,600; it would have been a struggle to pay. I was going to remortgage the house. But the fundraising means that I won’t have to do that now.

Turn to Page 3

“They put buckets out at the Shell garages down there and one raised £1,200. People have been so kind. It shows that the people in this country really do still care about each other. We just wanted James to be brought home. At our age, you plan for your own funeral.

“You don’t plan for your child’s funeral. What’s happened shows that in situations like this the state isn’t there to help you.”

Recalling a visit James made to Carlisle eight weeks before he died, Mike said: “I had a funny feeling something might go wrong. I was on the phone to him the night before he died. He wasn’t a racer or anything like that but I remember saying to him: ‘Take care on that bike, son.’”

Mike also shared happier memories of James: how his garage was often visited by wealthy celebrities, including Who Wants to be a Millionaire presenter Jeremy Clarkson, and Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Sally said: “James was hugely liked, and very happy: he loved his rock music.

“He was a big fan of Guns and Roses, Metallica, and Iron Maiden; and he loved a pint, and our holidays; and he enjoyed spending time with family. We were planning to get married on November 9; we had it all booked.

“Just a week before this happened, we were sent out rings. I’ve had to send them back.

“Where the accident happened is a dangerous road.

“There were two accidents on the Sunday before and four people died. James made a real impression on people in Chipping Norton where he worked. We’ve had some lovely messages of support. The number of cards and flowers has been unreal.

Commenting on the cost of James’s funeral, she added: “It’s a long way back to Cumbria but it’s shocking how expensive it is has been for the funeral. It shouldn’t cost that much.”After James died, the comments posted on the JustGiving fundraising page included this from his sister Tracy, from Carlisle: “Thank you so much for all your messages and donations to give James the send off he deserves. He’s so missed and loved. He had a heart of gold. Thank you everyone for your support from all the family.”

It is believed that around £2,000 may have been raised so far.

A spokesman for Thames Valley police confirmed that a 26-year-old man from Bampton, Oxfordshire, was arrested after the accident on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle whilst unfit through drugs and was released on police bail.

“The investigation is continuing,” he added.