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Birmingham: Car crash kills one Kurd
22.2.2006
Boss Ian Maclay |
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SAD TRIBUTES PAID TO FATAL
CRASH PAIR
(22.Feb), - Tributes have been paid to two mushroom
farm workers who died when their car hit a tree.
Nzat Mahmoud, 24, and Oksana Buryan, 23, were in a
red Rover 216 when the accident happened in Evesham
Road, Cheltenham, on Sunday. Colleagues from The
Gourmet Mushroom Company in Southam are devastated.
Nzat, who was nicknamed Naz, moved to England four
years ago to escape troubles in his homeland of
Kurdistan.
Ukrainian graduate Oksana arrived in the UK in
December last year on a 12-month exchange programme.
Farm manager Ian Maclay said both employees, who
lived in Cheltenham, were hard-working and likeable.
He said his 60 workers were still coming to terms
with the accident.
Mr Maclay said: "There was total shock and
disbelief. The staff were devastated. It was really
quiet and sad."
The firm's director and owner Garrett O'Connor said
Naz, who was driving the Rover, was "bubbly,
popular, helpful and hard-working".
Of front-seat passenger Oksana, he added: "She was
friendly and always smiling. She was diligent and a
nice person. She'll be badly missed.
"She was striking to look at but had the personality
to go with it."
Fears arose when three employees failed to turn up
at 8am on Sunday.
They were Nzat, Oksana and Ukrainian graduate Alona
Buldouych, who was a passenger in the BMW also
involved in the crash. She escaped uninjured.
They had been working together on Saturday
afternoon.
Mr Maclay said: "It was out of character not to have
received a call.
"We tried to ring Naz's mobile and then heard there
had been a crash."
Naz arrived in Birmingham from Kurdistan four years
ago.
He started work at the mushroom farm through an
agency and became a permanent member of staff when
the Gourmet Mushroom Company took over the farm two
years ago.
Mr Maclay said Naz, who has a cousin in Birmingham,
had plans to return to the Middle East.
He said: "Depending on the situation in Iraq he
wanted to eventually go back because he has family
there.
"But he seemed happy in Cheltenham and lived with
friends."
Mr Maclay said he had spoken to relatives of both
workers. Their bodies will be flown home for their
funerals.
A memorial service for staff has been organised to
take place tomorrow.
Russian Orthodox priest Father Stephen Pratt, from
Oxford, will lead the ceremony.
Cath Hiller, 34, who lives in Gotherington, has
worked on the farm for eight years.
She said: "Naz told me he'd left home for England
because of all the problems with Saddam Hussein.
"He was funny and likeable. If you were having an
off day you could guarantee he'd put a smile on your
face. Nothing seemed to get him down."
Evesham Road was closed from the racecourse
roundabout to Wellington Road in both directions
until 10am following Sunday's collision.
More than 20 police and firefighters attended the
scene.
Isa Ahmed, 23, appeared in court cha- rged with
causing the deaths of Nzat and Oksana by dangerous
driving.
It is alleged he was racing a BMW alongside the
victims' Rover when it crashed.
He also faces charges of driving without a licence
or insurance.
Ahmed, of Great Western Terrace, Cheltenham, did not
enter any pleas when he appeared before magistrates.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Gloucester
Crown Court on Tuesday.
"There was total shock and disbelief. It was really
quiet and sad."
www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk
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