Boys killed on M56 'acted on spur of the moment'.

THE fathers of two boys killed as they tried to cross the M56 on scooters spoke of their grief after an inquest.

Colin Lambert, 33, of Murdishaw, Runcorn, spoke after Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded the "unintentional" deaths of his son Kieran Coupe, seven, and his friend Guy Davies, six.

The boys died instantly when they were struck attempting to push their scooters from the central reservation in the direction of the Preston Brook pub.

During his summing-up, the coroner said the boys had never been out so late before and as darkness fell quickly, their decision-making process was affected.

He said: "It is a mistake to consider this on the basis of adult logic and common sense.

"These are young children, probably absolutely terrified, worried, way past the time they should be home, desperately upset and acting on the spur of the moment without thought or consideration."

Members of the public had spoken to the boys after spotting them playing under machinery on a Morgan Est construction site next to the motorway.

Work on a water leak had seen a large section of perimeter fencing removed and not replaced.

The coroner said: "My judgement is they did access the motorway at the point where the fence had been removed."

Outside the inquest, Guy's father Guy Davies senior called for more road safety education for young people and for the motorway network to be fenced off and monitored.

He said: "I'd like to thank everyone for their support since the accident. My family has been devastated."