FRIENDS and family of a Keighley man killed in an accident in Australia are being urged to support a campaign to stop more such incidents.

Backpacker Ian Davy was killed in 2009 when a 4x4 tourist vehicle overturned on a beach in Queensland.

Now the family of a teenage girl killed in a similar accident last year are campaigning for a change in Australian law.

They hope to attract 20,000 signatures on a Facebook petition, to present to the Australian Law Reform Commission calling for tougher safety measures and drivers to be aged over 25.

Jade Fox’s mother Melanie said there had been numerous similar accidents in the six years between Ian and Jade’s deaths.

Ian, who was 22 when he died, had grown up in Keighley, attending schools including Oakbank. At the time of his death he was living in Skipton with his father.

He had spent four years with Eastburn firm Cinetic Landis, undertaking a machine operator apprenticeship while studying at Keighley and Nelson & Colne colleges.

In the 2009 accident Ian died along with an Italian woman, and nine other European tourists in the vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, were injured.

The tourist vehicle lost control on the 75-mile beach on Fraser Island when it swerved to avoid an incoming wave.

At the time the BBC reported that three people were thrown from the vehicle, which rolled along the sand and landed on its roof.

The beach was regarded as a notorious accident black spot which had seen around 120 vehicle accidents in the previous six years.

Jade Fox was killed last September on Fraser Island.

Her mother Melanie, who lives in Maidstone in Kent, said her family’s campaign had already attracted more than 5,700 signatures but many more were needed.

She said: “We were hoping to contact Ian's friends and family for their support and hopefully achieve something positive out of our loved ones’ deaths. Jade and Ian were both 22 and had so much to live for.

“We have been on BBC South-East news, ITV Meridian and local radio, but this is only covering the southeast of England and it's not enough.

“We have had support from Australia also and have had articles appear in the Fraser Coast Chronicle.”

Anyone wishing to support the petition should visit ipetitions.com/petition/jades-law. Mrs Fox can be contacted by e-mailing fox166@btinternet.com.