Tributes paid to inspiring librarian
A popular school librarian died after being hit by a bin lorry while on a half-term walking holiday in the Lake District.
Mrs Mary Cook, 54, of Woodland Drive, Southwell, was walking with her husband, Mr Stewart Cook, in Grasmere when the incident happened on Wednesday of last week.
Floral tributes were laid at the site of the incident as the local community expressed its shock.
Mrs Cook was the librarian at The Grove School’s Lilley and Stone site for sixth-formers.
Mr Cook said: “She loved reading, loved her job and it suited her. She loved working with children and helping them appreciate books and reading.
“She loved gardening and cooking.”
Mr Cook said hill-walking was a shared passion.
“We decided to go to the Lake District for a walking holiday in half-term,” he said.
“It had been raining but the Wednesday was beautiful.
Mr and Mrs Cook walked around Grasmere before continuing into the surrounding countryside.
They stopped for lunch by a waterfall and returned to Grasmere where the incident happened.
A passing nurse administered first aid to Mrs Cook and she was tended by a paramedic — care that Mr Cook describes as exemplary.
The couple are originally from the Stirling area of Scotland and would have been married for 36 years this year.
They moved to Southwell 25 years ago when Mr Cook relocated through work.
The couple had two daughters, Miss Fiona Cook, 30, and Mrs Gillian Robson, 27, who married last year.
Mr Cook said: “Mary was one of those who always had a smile on her face.
“She was a happy woman with a can-do attitude and a bubbly personality. Always willing to help — that was Mary.
“She wanted to go back to work but only when the children were old enough.
“She went back to college and brought herself up to speed with modern technology, got a job at the Newark High School as it was, and later transferred when it became part of The Grove.”
An inquest was opened and adjourned by South Lakeland coroner Ian Smith on Tuesday.
Staff
Mrs Cook’s funeral will be at Sherwood Forest Crematorium, Ollerton, at 11.15am on Monday.
In a statement, The Grove School said: “The staff on both sites of the school were informed at a staff briefing held on Monday morning and the acting head, Liz Hart, held a special assembly for the sixth-form and Year 10 students at the Lilley and Stone site.
“Mrs Cook was a loved and respected member of the whole school community.
“Her humour and kindness will be sadly missed by us all and we extend our deepest sympathy to all her family.”
South Lakeland District Council, whose bin lorry it was, has offered its sympathy to Mrs Cook’s family.
It said the 7.5 tonne vehicle involved was one of its smaller refuse lorries and was operated by one man.
It was on a regular commercial round, collecting waste from businesses such as shops, restaurants and guest houses.
A council spokesman said: “The circumstances surrounding the fatality are still very unclear. The police are conducting the investigation and the driver is co-operating with their inquiries.”
Cumbria Police said a 53-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and bailed to August 17.
