John Burns, 22, from Glasgow, was hit by multiple vehicles 100 miles away on the M6 near Carlisle in a fatal collision on September 14 last year after boarding the wrong bus home
The dad of a young Celtic fan killed on a motorway after he boarded the wrong bus home has vowed to investigate his son’s death in a bid for answers.
John Burns, 22, was hit by multiple vehicles on the M6 near Carlisle in a fatal collision on September 14 last year. He was reportedly dropped off in the town after boarding the wrong bus. Father-of-one John, 22, had attended Celtic’s Scottish Premiership game against Hearts, but alighted from the bus 100 miles from his home in Newton Mearns, Glasgow.
But his grieving father James, 48, is still trying to find out what happened to his boy – and is determined to get to the truth. “My son would be alive today if he didn’t get on that supporters bus. It is a living nightmare. I’ve been left to think of my boy dying alone on the motorway and still we don’t know how he ended up there,” he told the Daily Record.
“John’s partner Rachel and their two-year-old son Reggie were waiting for him. It makes no sense. We don’t know if he spoke to someone at the game who encouraged him to get on the bus – or get off.”
The family say they are unable to grieve as they face a long wait for an inquest into the death. It can only take place after a fatal accident inquiry is complete – for which no dates have been set.
At a hearing into an inquest in October last year, assistant coroner for Cumbria, Dr Nicholas Shaw, said: “The brief circumstances are that he was struck by probably a number of vehicles whilst a pedestrian on the motorway. It is not yet known how this came to be, but there will obviously be a full accident investigation. When that’s complete we will resume the inquest and full details will enter the public domain.”
The grieving father said his football mad son was in good spirits before the match and had been spotted by his cousin outside the stadium. But it is believed he then boarded a Celtic supporters bus bound for England before he was dropped off at Carlisle town centre.
And James believes John went on to the M6 in an effort to hitch a lift back to Glasgow. He has been trying to track down passengers on board during the past five months, convinced they could hold crucial evidence about his death.
But so far he has been met with silence – a crushing blow to his hopes of finding out the truth about John’s death. “I feel like I’ve had to become a private detective to get answers for my family. John was perfectly normal in the run up to that day,” he continued. “He sent some pictures on board this bus on Snapchat and he looked lost and confused. I’ve approached individuals who I believe were on board but they just clam up.
“Someone couldn’t get on a bus alone from Glasgow and no one noticed. I don’t understand why no one has come forward to help our family piece his movements together.”
Mr Burns who lost his wife Tracey to breast cancer in February 2022, said he now faces daily questions from his other sons Josh, 21 and James, 14. And in an emotional appeal for people to come forward, he added: “I just don’t know how much more I can take. I am a single dad. My boys can’t understand what has happened to their brother. I am begging anyone with information to come forward.”
Cumbria Police have urged any witnesses of the crash to contact them online or by calling 101 quoting incident number 238 of September 14.
