Kidderminster mum to mark daughter's 20th 'heavenly birthday' with Wrekin walk
Leanne Vaughan's daughter Lily-May was killed on the 4 February 2023 when her boyfriend lost control of their car and collided with a telegraph pole in Shropshire
Last updated 2nd Sep 2025
"It's going to be emotional because she should be here with me," says Leanne Vaughan, who's set to complete her 20th walk up The Wrekin today (2 September) to mark her daughter's 20th 'heavenly birthday'.
17-year-old Lily-May Vaughan died on the 4 February 2023 after the car she was a passenger in collided with a telegraph pole on an unnamed road in Shawbury Heath.
Driver of the vehicle Logan Addison, who was also Lily-May's boyfriend, was found guilty earlier this year for causing her death by dangerous driving.
During the week-long trial in April, the 20-year-old denied he was driving dangerously before he lost control of the car he was driving and maintained a story that he lost control of his vehicle when he swerved to avoid another car.
Witnesses though said they saw Addison, who was 17 at the time of the incident, driving at speed and dangerously before the collision happened.
He was sentenced on 20 June at Shrewsbury Crown Court to five years and six months in prison.
Following the sentencing, Lily-May's mum Leanne said the day she found out her daughter had died "her world shattered".
Since the start of the year, Leanne has been walking up The Wrekin hill in Shropshire in memory of Lily-May and also has been fundraising for the national charity for road crash victims RoadPeace who have supported her since the teen's death.
She says her daughter was a 'ray of sunshine' and the 19 walks she has completed so far has brought together not just her memories of Lily-May, but also others as well who have joined her on some of the treks.
"Lily-May and I absolutely loved walking together with our cocker spaniel Sadie, so walking in nature really helps me connect to Lily-May and feel like I'm close to her," she said.
"I started the first walk in January and it was winter and cold, so I've seen all the seasons change, but I've also really seen that in Lily-May's 17 years she really made a big difference with the different people who have joining me each time.
"I'm going to miss the walks in one way, but in another way, it has helped me through a difficult time because this year has been the year of the trial and the sentencing and I think the walking has really helped focus me."
Leanne is also calling for new laws to be introduced for newly qualified drivers and has been working with RoadPeace in their campaign to reduce road danger.
"Lily-May was such a happy, vibrant, positive girl and I feel that her energy's still in this world and I can make a difference with it, through Lily-May, I want people to learn from her and I hope to help save future lives," she said.
"I think she'd want society to know that when you're a passenger in a car, you know about the dangers of being a passenger in a newly qualified driver's car, but also that the driver should try and respect other road users and our passengers and drive safely.
"So I am looking into the education aspect because I want legislation to change, I think our current legislation is outdated and I'm really optimistic that the road safety strategy will include elements of young drivers in it."
The Department for Transport (DfT) previously said it was developing a new road safety strategy to "ensure the UK's roads remain among the safest in the world".
It added the Future of Roads Minister regularly meets families of young people killed on our roads to help better inform our efforts to tackle this problem and protect young drivers.
Leanne's final Wrekin walk is set to get underway at 2pm.