Charlie Joyce tragedy: Funeral details released for Ballymena boy killed in scrambler accident

Funeral details have been released for the nine-year-old Ballymena boy who tragically died after a motorbike accident.

The boy, named locally as Charlie Joyce, died following a collision between two scrambler bikes in the Dunclug area late on Thursday afternoon.

Another boy, aged 13, who was involved in the collision was seriously injured.

A family notice for Charlie said that he had died on Friday 17 June at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children after a tragic accident.

The notice said he was “the precious son” of Joe and Katie-Marie Joyce of Dunclug Gardens, Ballymena and brother of Martina, Rhianna, Joeleigha, Atlanta, Joseph and Georgia.

His remains will leave His Home on Monday the 20 June at 11am to All Saints Church in Ballymena for 12 Noon Mass followed by Burial in the new extension of Ballymena Cemetery.

Meanwhile, a Ballymena man put a notice on social media on Saturday to ask for prayers for his grandson, who was seriously injured in the accident.

His grandson spent about nine hours on Friday going through some “horrendous rebuilding of his poor wee body,” he said.

“They think that they got him sorted.”

He suffered serious fractures to his right arm and leg and also his face.

“This morning as they were turning him he tried to move his good arm up to his face and they said that’s a good sign.

“They may try and wake him up either later today or tomorrow. This will be done very, very slowly and is a critical time in his recovery... I would ask everyone to say a prayer for him and also for the other poor child and his family that lost his life in the accident.”

He added: “We as a family are all still praying for little Charlie and his family.”