TV documentary makers scrapped plans to feature an horrific Atherton death crash in a programme screened on Monday.

But staff at London-based Lion TV said the decision was purely an editorial one - and not because of pressure from upset relatives.

It follows complaints from an Atherton mother, who lost her only son in the crash two and a half years ago, that the programme makers had intruded into her privacy.

She was backed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Leigh MP Lawrence Cunliffe.

The crash which killed Carol and Brian Ivill's 20-year-old only son Brian (pictured), was due to feature on Monday in the third of the series Real Lives on ITV.

Brian, of Hamilton Street, and another passenger, Paul Neary, 19, of Tyldesley Old Road, Atherton, died in the pile-up on Newbrook Road in April 1997.

As a result the driver, 20-year-old Craig Meadows of Oxford Road, Atherton, who was carrying four passengers, was jailed for five years.

A court heard he was driving after being banned only 48 hours earlier.

Barbara said: "I was pestered over weeks by the production company, Lion TV, to take part, but I refused to have anything to do with it.

"There's no way I could go in front of a camera and talk about what happened. I don't know how anyone who has lost a child can."

A spokesman for Lion TV in London said: "The story of Craig Meadows is one that was originally considered. However, it was not one of the case studies finally selected for broadcast."

On Tuesday Barbara said: "I watched last night's programme and no-one will ever know how relieved I was that Brian's death was not included."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.