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Boy, 4, dies in tragic accident
18.10.10
by Linda McGrory
A HEARTBROKEN couple have described their
devastation at losing their four-year old "angel"
son in a tragic accident at their home in Burnfoot.
Little Nico Price was tragically killed when the
wheel of a lorry fell on him at his father Neil’s
breaker's yard at the rear of their rented
'Riverside Cottage'. He had been playing with his
older brother, Anthony, 6, when tragedy struck just
yards from their mother, Wendy, around 7.30pm on
Friday. Wendy and husband, Neil, who have eleven
children and are originally from England, wept
yesterday as they described their family's ordeal.
"We don't really know what happened, it was all so
sudden," said Wendy. "Anthony was playing with Nico
and he saw it all happen. Those two were never
apart. When I found Nico, he was slumped over." The
heartbroken mum added: "The kids are not allowed in
the yard during the day, but work was finished for
the evening."
Nico's devastated sister, Patsy, 18, said everyone
would miss Nico. |
"He was a little angel.
He didn't deserve to go. He made everybody laugh
because he was such a copycat and would always mock
and mimic you, but he wouldn't hurt anybody," she
said.
The circumstances surrounding the tragedy are being
investigated by gardai and the Health and Safety
Authority. Initial accounts suggest the child was
sitting on the wheel when it, or another lorry
wheel, fell on top of him.
The child was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital in
Derry but died a short time later. A post mortem was
conducted in Belfast on Saturday morning before the
child's remains were removed to the family home that
afternoon. Nico was the youngest in the family, |
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The late Nico Price. |
who range in age from
four to 23. He was in junior infants class in St
Aengus primary school, a mile away in Bridgend.
The family moved to the area around nine months ago
and had become popular with the locals.
Mr Price runs his motor business, West Yorkshire
Direct Imports, from their small rented bungalow
next door to Burnfoot post office.
Nico and his young siblings were well known in the
village Gala shop where staff described the
youngster as "a lovely, wee, blonde fella".
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority
examined the scene of the accident on Saturday
afternoon and a spokesperson confirmed that an
investigation is underway. Meanwhile, a senior garda
source said all the circumstances surrounding the
incident were being investigated by gardai at
Burnfoot and Buncrana.
The Price family opted for a traditional Irish wake
and were being comforted yesterday at their home by
neighbours, friends and relatives who continued to
arrive from Britain throughout the day. For funeral
arrangements
click here . |
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