Hundreds say prayers for Uber driver killed in crash

Hundreds of mourners gathered at the funeral of a taxi driver who died in a head-on-crash that also killed three teenagers in Greater Manchester.

Father-of-four Masrob Ali, 54, was travelling along Wigan Road in Bolton when the crash happened in the early hours of Sunday.

Family and friends attended a ceremony at Momineen mosque in the Uber driver's home town of Blackburn, Lancashire, earlier.

Among them, his nephew Shahid Ali told BBC North West Tonight: "He was one of the best people I met and lived with. You cannot find a better person."

He continued: "He never got involved with any kind of trouble or anything he never had any bad word for anyone and no-one had a bad word for him and that's the reason so many people loved him.

"This is a time when we all need to get together and put him in the right place and he will go straight to heaven - and that's what we are praying for."

Teenagers Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, 19, Farhan Patel, 18, and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, 18 also died in the crash after their Seat car collided with Ali's taxi.

Five passengers were also injured and police are continuing to investigate the circumstances.

Shahid Ali said: "From a young age we used to live just across the street from each other.

"We grew up together, went to school together, in our younger days we spent evenings, afternoons, weekends together, cycling and playing football.

"Then we worked together and did business together, so he was with me basically all my life.

"He was a quiet person who just wanted to do his job like he should have done.

"He was trying to help his young family and this is what happens, early in the morning and we cannot take it back but Allah will give him a better place."

Masrob had been a taxi driver for 10 years, his family previously said.

A spokesman for Uber told BBC Radio Manchester: "Everyone at Uber is deeply saddened to hear of this tragic incident and our hearts go out to everyone impacted.

"Mr Ali was an important part of the Uber community and our thoughts and sincerest condolences are with Mr Ali's family at this incredibly difficult time."

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