A Totton woman who lost her husband in a bike crash has started a campaign to make wearing a helmet the law.

Ashley Cron, 37, was cycling home from a family party when he fell into a ditch in Tatchbury Lane, Netley Marsh, and died from serious head injuries.

In the wake of the dad-of-five's passing on November 12, 2022, his widow Emma was determined that no other family would suffer the same loss.

Launching a Government petition to make wearing cycle helmets mandatory, she has received almost 4,000 signatures so far - and hopes to get Gordon Ramsay's backing after his recent bike crash.

You can find the petition by clicking here.

It said: "I urge lawmakers to amend existing laws and make wearing bicycle helmets mandatory for all ages across our nation.

"This simple change can save countless lives and prevent other families from experiencing the heartbreak mine has gone through."

The 35-year-old told the Echo: “If he was wearing a helmet at that time he would have been safe.

"No one should go through what we went through, and this campaign is a way to try to stop that from happening to someone else.”

Ashley Cron (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

'It only takes a second'

An inquest into his death heard that the granite technician had been to the Compass Inn in Winsor Road, Winsor, where his aunt, landlady Victoria Goulding, was holding a party to celebrate her birthday.

Cycling down the dark country lane at around 20mph, with a front light which was 'not fit for purpose', he failed to negotiate a slight bend and ended up in the ditch next to the road, an accident investigator said.

He was also over the drink-drive limit.

Emma said wearing a helmet is 'simple but it would help to save a lot of lives and it only takes a second'.

She added: “Until people are affected by it they don’t realise how important it is. I go do the school run and I see children with their parents riding their bikes without a helmet and it’s so dangerous.

“Had it been legal I know Ashley would have worn it. His family wore it whenever they went cyclin. He had one but that one time he wasn’t wearing it.”

Mr Cron was cycling home from the Compass Inn when he died (Image: PA)

Councillor backs campaign

Emma reached out to her local councillor Neville Penman to give the campaign a boost.

The New Forest District and Hampshire County Councillor said: "I think it's a great idea from Emma. I have already started putting out the forms for signatures and at this moment in time, it's going really well.

"This will hopefully help reduce cyclists' deaths on the road and should have been enforced."

Emma’s friends have also reached out to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey after he shared a helmet saved his life during a “really bad” cycling accident in the US.

Emma added: “If we could get Gordon Ramsey’s attention on this it would be amazing.”

The Echo has approached the celebrity chef’s team for comment.