A PERFECT day ended in tragedy for a teenage bridesmaid.

She was on her way home from her cousin’s wedding when she was critically injured in a horror smash in Lockwood.

The girl, who has not yet been named, was one of the victims in the latest serious accident in Meltham Road.

One of her relatives told the Examiner how the bride was “in pieces” after hearing how the 19-year-old was rushed to hospital after the taxi she was in collided head-on with another taxi on Meltham Road.

The emotional family member spoke to the Examiner about the incident – saying he didn’t want to name the girl or any of the family until they know for sure that she will recover from the crash near Park Valley Mills in Lockwood.

Her large family, members of Huddersfield Christian Fellowship, are by her bedside at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary praying for her recovery.

He said: “She’s still high risk and in intensive care.

“She’s having to go in to have a scan because she’s broken a bone in her back.

“She’s also got a nick in her spleen, a tear in her bowel, a punctured lung and she’s all black and blue.”

He said the teenage girl was sitting in the back seat behind the taxi driver on the side of the car which received the most impact.

She and her boyfriend were on their way back to Holmfirth after the wedding.

The family member said: “Her boyfriend had head injuries and whiplash and they kept him overnight.

“We had to persuade him to leave the hospital and go home to recover because he wouldn’t leave her bed-side.”

Initially, the family didn’t know how serious the head-on collision had been.

Rescuers battled to free the critically-injured woman after the 12.10am crash.

Both of the taxi drivers were also seriously injured.

The relative said: “At first it didn’t seem that bad, but as it progressed through the night we realised it was more and more serious.

“I hope she’s going to be 100% okay though because she’s a tough cookie.”

The family member called out for extra safety measures on the ‘notorious’ Huddersfield road.

The crash is just the latest in a series of terrible car incidents on the road that runs between Lockwood and Armitage Bridge.

And it is the fourth serious crash since just April.

He said: “On Wakefield Road they have about 14 or 15 speed cameras but on a road as bad as Meltham Road there are hardly any.

“I don’t usually condone speed cameras, but they might stop people driving at excessive speeds.

“There needs to be bollards and traffic calming measures to slow the traffic down.

“I’m angry because I see this sort of thing all the time on that road.

“Of course – because we are Christians, if it is anyone’s fault then we will forgive them.

“But that doesn’t mean that we’re not hurting and upset about it.”

The family member told how the whole family had a fantastic day at the wedding where the girl had been a bridesmaid.

He said: “We didn’t tell the bride until the following day because we didn’t want to ruin it for her.

“She was in pieces when we told her.”

He added: “They had to cut her out of her bridesmaid dress which was even more gutting.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to the serious road traffic collision which they report involved a Ford Fiesta, a Vauxhall Astra and a Vauxhall Vectra.

Anyone who saw the collision is asked to contact Huddersfield Road Policing Team on 01484 436 847.