THE father of a young woman killed in a car crash has spoken of his anger at learning the pole she hit has been reinstalled.
Hannah Lodge, 18, died after her car hit the weather monitoring pole on the B1249.
The pole has now been put back in exactly the same spot by East Riding Council – and daubed with graffiti saying "no respect" and "I am a killer".
Hannah's father Mark, 52, said he was appalled to hear the station had been put back. He said: "We were aware the weather station was put back and it seems fairly grotesque.
"To put that thing back does seem incredibly cruel and insensitive.
"We would have thought it would have been sensible to run it by the police, or even the family."
Mr Lodge said he did not agree with the graffiti but could understand the motivation for whoever was behind it.
He said: "I can't, and won't, condone any kind of graffiti but I can understand why somebody might have felt moved to do what they've done.
"Hannah was such an incredibly popular and well-loved individual.
"It's almost as if an 18-year-old innocent child is collateral damage and the authorities are prepared to accept that."
Hannah had just begun a gap year when her grey Suzuki left the road as she drove towards Langtoft on Friday, November 16.
She had left Driffield School with ten good GCSEs and three A levels and had hoped to study law at university.
Hannah was also in the process of applying for a short-term role with a Scarborough charity, helping vulnerable people to better understand their legal rights.
On the day of the crash, she was driving to the charity's office to drop off some paperwork.
Her family have been to the spot where she lost her life.
But Mr Lodge said it is still hard to drive past.
He said: "It's a difficult road to drive up.
"You stand at the spot and wonder how on earth it happened."
Mr Lodge said government statistics suggest there is a crash at the same point every year.
He believes the B1249 is a dangerous road.
Mr Lodge said: "Statistically, there will be another accident at that point, involving that pole or that weather station.
"There's at least one reported accident per year at that spot.
Work to reinstall the weather station began on Tuesday, February 19.
John Skidmore, head of streetscene services at East Riding Council, said: "The weather station on the B1249 was damaged in a road traffic accident last year.
"The council made efforts to contact the family through a police liaison officer to discuss the replacement weather station but so far has not been made aware of any objections.
"The council is sensitive to the replacement weather station and remains happy to discuss the matter with the family."
Police believe the graffiti was sprayed between 4pm on Sunday, March 3, and 7.40am on Monday, March 4.
Anyone with information should call Humberside Police on 101.
