Player 'should back speed plans'

The brothers died in the crash on the M6 in June

A footballer jailed for killing two children in a drink-drive crash should support tougher action on dangerous drivers, the dead boys' parents say.

Arron Peak, 10, and Ben Peak, eight, of Partington, Greater Manchester, died on the M6 in Staffordshire in June.

Ex-Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 25, admitted causing their deaths, but has never apologised to the family.

The Peak family are calling on him to support government proposals to clamp down on excessive speeders.

McCormick drove at speeds of more than 100mph (161km/h) before the fatal crash on 7 June. He was also over the drink-drive limit.

Philip, 37, and Amanda Peak are backing the proposals for tougher action on speeding drivers, but said the campaign could be strengthened with McCormick's backing.

Maybe he should back us on this then maybe the country won't be so hard on him Amanda Peak Clampdown on speeders

Mrs Peak said: "We've not seen any remorse or anything from Luke and the best way for him to do that, in my eyes, is if he backs us on these campaigns.

"And [if he] says, 'This has ruined my life as much as anything... not as much as the Peak family, but it has ruined my life. I'm doing a prison sentence.'

"Maybe he should back us on this then maybe the country won't be so hard on him," she added.

The government wants to introduce tougher punishments for so-called "excessive speeders" - for example, those who drive at more than 90mph on a motorway.

And drivers twice caught speeding at significant levels could be given automatic bans under the proposals set out in a consultation paper.

But Mrs Peak questioned whether the proposals went far enough.

She said: "Why give them the second chance? Once and you should be banned, do something about it the first time.

"You can guarantee the people who are speeding have done it before. And before. And before. So they're going to keep doing it.

"The majority of the time they don't get caught."