PICTURED: Victims of fatal Doncaster taxi crash named

Two women killed in a taxi smash on a Doncaster road have been named by police.
(L) Jacqueline Melinda Friend, 59, (R) Lynda Leonard, 52, both killed in a taxi crash in Great North Road, Doncaster(L) Jacqueline Melinda Friend, 59, (R) Lynda Leonard, 52, both killed in a taxi crash in Great North Road, Doncaster
(L) Jacqueline Melinda Friend, 59, (R) Lynda Leonard, 52, both killed in a taxi crash in Great North Road, Doncaster

The families of Jacqueline Melinda Friend, 59, and Lynda Leonard, 52, have released pictures of the pair who died when two taxis collided in the early hours of Sunday morning in Great North Road, Doncaster.

The family of Jacqueline Melinda Friend of Castleford said: "The most fabulous wife, mum, nana, sister, aunty and friend, was tragically taken from all her loved ones by the incident on Saturday night in Doncaster.

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"Our world has been shattered, and will never be the same again. Jackie was the foundation of our whole family, and will be missed unbearably by all who knew and loved her.

"We will love her forever."

A statement from the family of Bradford woman Lynda Leonard said: "Lynda will be sadly missed by her daughter Abbygail and partner Colin."

The fatal smash happened close to the Mount Pleasant Hotel on Great North Road shortly after midnight in the early hours of Sunday morning and also left 10 injured.

South Yorkshire Police said at around 12.25am, a Fiat Scudo minibus taxi and an LTI London taxi that were travelling in opposite directions along Great North Road collided close to the Mount Pleasant Hotel on Great North Road.

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Jacqueline Melinda Friend and Lynda Leonard were travelling in the LTI taxi.

Two male passengers, also in their 50s and travelling in the same vehicle, suffered minor injuries, as did the 61-year-old driver.

The other taxi contained a 40-year-old driver and six passengers, three men aged 22, 25 and 29, and three women, aged 21, 25 and 26.

The six passengers in the Fiat and the driver all sustained minor injuries.

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Police are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to the collision to come forward. Anyone who may have seen the incident or witnessed the manner of driving of either vehicle before the collision, is asked to call 101 quoting incident number 26 of 31 January 2016.