A dedicated teacher faced a life-altering ordeal when she was involved in a devastating multi-vehicle crash during her morning commute, resulting in emergency surgery and a prolonged hospital stay.
Horrific Morning Collision on Leek Road
Lisa Moorhouse, a 52-year-old educator, was travelling to work in her Volkswagen Polo along Leek Road between Cellarhead and Weston Coyney in Staffordshire on the morning of January 26. The routine journey turned catastrophic shortly after 7am when a grey Ford Transit van collided with her vehicle.
According to her father, John Moorhouse, 75, from Alton, Lisa described seeing a van "flying towards her side of the road" after hearing a tremendous bang. The incident occurred after a white Vauxhall Vivaro van had broken down nearby, with another vehicle clipping it and setting off the chain reaction.
Emergency Response and Hospitalisation
Emergency services including Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service rushed to the scene. Two ambulances attended, treating both Lisa and a male driver from the overturned van for potentially serious injuries before transporting them to Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Lisa was immediately placed in the resuscitation ward and subsequently underwent emergency surgery. Her father confirmed the procedure was successful but revealed her injuries were "a bit more than 'not life-changing'", indicating significant trauma beyond the physical wounds.
Family's Trauma and Relief
John Moorhouse described receiving the early morning call as "a massive shock", expressing profound relief that his daughter survived the incident. "You can replace a car, but you can never replace a person," he stated emotionally, while also expressing concern for others involved in the collision.
He revealed that witnesses at the scene assured Lisa there was nothing she could have done to avoid the collision, which provided some comfort as she had initially worried about being at fault. The impact was severe enough that both vehicles spun to face the wrong direction on the road.
Police Investigation and Road Closure
Staffordshire Police have launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. A force spokesperson confirmed they are appealing for witnesses, information, and any available dashcam footage relating to incident 89 of January 26.
The road was closed for several hours while officers managed traffic and conducted initial investigations. Police confirmed that the broken-down white Vauxhall Vivaro van also sustained damage during the incident, though it wasn't directly involved in the initial collision.
Ongoing Recovery and Community Impact
Lisa remains at Royal Stoke University Hospital where medical staff have been praised by her family for their "fantastic job" in treating her injuries. Her father noted that while she's grateful for the care received, "she just wants to be home now" as she continues her recovery journey.
The Moorhouse family has expressed hope that other individuals involved in the collision are recovering well, while also questioning what measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents on this stretch of road in future.
