Campaigners from the A6135 Accident reduction Group and families of those killed on the road in recent years gathered around the A6135 Tree calling for safety improvements, more than 50 people turned out including residents.

Last year Ashley Murphy, 18, Leanne Fletcher, 19, and Christopher Lake, 18, were tragically killed when their car lost control around the bend on the A6135 slamming into the tree.

At the inquest into the deaths of Mr Murphy, Mr Lake and Miss Fletcher in May, Sheffield Coroner Chris Dorries said he would be writing to Barnsley Council to suggest they cut the tree down, along with asking them to look outside the box in terms of road safety.  Phil Coppard, Chief Executive of Barnsley Council replied in August, saying he was not going to argue about cutting the tree down, however seven months later, the tree has not been felled, and yet again became the termination point for 4 youths, on a night out, who also lost control in similar circumstances.  They survived, but were hospitalised..

Cynthia Shaw, Chir of the A6135 Accident reduction Group, said the presence of bereaved parents at the protest was "humbling".

Since the inquest in May 2009  there's been eight accidents on this bend, and no safety improvements.

Ashley Murphy's mother Karen is very angry the tree had not yet been felled.

"I could not believe it when I heard about the latest crash. The families of those four young men in that car are really lucky to still have them here for Christmas. I would give anything for Ashley to be here.  The council needs to do something before anyone else dies. The road is really fast and, like Ashley was on the night of the crash, people speed along it and then lose it on a bend before hitting the tree." she told reporters

The residents were amazed to see orange crosses appear on the tree, half an hour before the press arrived, the marks indicate that the tree is to be felled,  Barnsley council have told residents that it will be removed in the first week of 2010.