Funeral held for M9 crash victim John Yuill

A MAN who lay undiscovered in a car crash for three days has been described as a “lovable rogue” as he was laid to rest.

John Yuill's funeral took place at St Francis Xaviers RC Church, Falkirk on Thursday. Picture: Michael Gillen

John Yuill, 28, died after his car came off the M9 in Stirlingshire on 5 July.

His girlfriend Lamara Bell, 25, lay critically injured for about 72 hours after police officers failed to follow up a report on the accident.

Family and friends of Mr Yuill attended a service at St Francis Xavier’s Church in Falkirk yesterday as an independent investigation into the police error continues.

John Yuilll was found dead in a crashed car that had gone off the M9 near Stirling. Picture: Hemedia

Anita Dollard, 49, who brought Mr Yuill up from an early age, told mourners he had two “obsessions” in life – cars and death.

Ms Dollard said the 28-year-old had packed more into his life than some people who live to the age of 90.

She told the congregation: “He was a livewire who talked constantly and slept little, who opened the fridge and took a bite of everything.

“John had two obsessions in life: cars and death. He could tell you what car it was by the tail lights. He was always talking about ghosts.”

Ms Bell survived the crash that killed Mr Yuill near Stirling but died in hospital a week later. Her funeral will be held today. A member of the public called to report the accident and an operator took the details, but they were not entered into the police system and followed up.

The couple’s blue Renault Clio was found down an embankment when officers received another call from a member of the public on 8 July. The incident has led to calls for Chief Constable Sir Stephen House to resign.

Father Jamie Boyle told the gathering that Mr Yuill’s death had given his family and friends a “real sense of tragedy”.

He said: “We all struggle with death and particularly when a child dies, a young person dies, there seems to be something that’s not right. Parents aren’t meant to bury their children.”

Referring to the circumstances of the car crash, he added: “Over the past three weeks there have indeed been lots of questions. There have been lots of whys and what ifs and if onlys.

“We wonder how many people passed their car – hundreds of people probably passed their car thinking someone else might have made that phone call.”

In a statement addressed to Mr Yuill and his family, the Bell family said: “With our deepest sympathy. For those we’ve loved and lost.

“We can never be more than a thought apart. For as long as they live in our memory they live on in our hearts.”