​Road tragedies across Northern Ireland - Teen’s dad pours out heartache over crash as three lives lost over weekend

​Communities in Coleraine, Armagh and Larne and are grieving the loss of a teenage girl, a father of three and a 76-year-old woman.

The family of the teenage girl, who was struck by a car outside Coleraine, has paid an emotional tribute. She has been named locally as Candice Tosh.

Her father Bryan posted on Facebook that he had “learned so much” from being her dad and that he is “struggling to accept” what has happened.

He further wrote that he “promised to make Candice proud” of him and he asked her to look after her siblings.

The heart-breaking message finishes with a promise to love ‘Candybell’ forever and has generated a huge outpouring of sympathy messages.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Dervock Football Club posted: “We as a club are heartbroken today as our player Bryan Tosh, has had to say goodbye to his daughter, Candice.

"There are no words we can express that can convey how sorry we are. We would like to pass on our condolences to Bryan, Diane and the entire family circle on the passing of Candice and know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.”

Police had been called to the scene of a serious one-vehicle road traffic collision which occurred in the Macosquin area on Thursday afternoon.

Inspector Craig said: “Shortly after 12.50pm, police received and responded to a report of that a teenage girl had been struck by car on the Dunhill Road.

“Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service also attended the scene, and the girl was taken to hospital for treatment for her injuries.”

However, it was sadly confirmed that the teenager failed to recover from her injuries and passed away.

Tributes have also been paid to Patrick Grimley from Madden village in Co Armagh who was killed following a four-vehicle road traffic collision on Gosford Road in Markethill at approximately 1.20am on Saturday morning.

He is understood to have been killed in the crash after celebrating his 40th birthday in Dundalk.

A total of eight people were taken to hospital following the collision, with the PSNI confirming that three men and two women remain in hospital receiving treatment.

Police have asked any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage that could assist in their inquiries, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting reference 104 of 04/11/23.

Mr Grimley was a club secretary of Madden Raparees GAC in south Armagh and they posted a heart-warming tribute on their Facebook page.

“It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the tragic and sudden passing of our club secretary, Patrick Grimley.

“Patrick was a brilliant family man, and along with his wife Ciera, could always be seen supporting his children at their various hobbies and activities.

“His love for our club was also well known and he will be terribly missed by all those who knew him, not just in Madden but further afield also.”

Another Facebook post, this time by Road Bowls in Ireland, added: “Road bowls in Ireland would like to express our deepest condolences to the Grimley family at the tragic passing of Patrick.

“We pray for Patrick’s wife and all the others injured that they all pull through.

“Our prayers are with everyone and all families, May Patrick rest in peace.”

The news followed on from the PSNI confirming that a 76-year-old woman had died in hospital following a two-vehicle road traffic collision in Larne on Wednesday.

Margaret Small, from the Larne area, was involved in the collision between a car and a lorry at the Pound Street junction with the A8.

Sergeant Green, from the PSNI’s Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The collision, involving a white Nissan X-trail and a white Scania lorry, occurred shortly before 2.50pm on Wednesday afternoon.

“Two other people were taken to hospital following the collision, however, their injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

“An investigation is under way to establish the circumstances of the collision.

”I would appeal to anyone who witnessed it, or has any dash cam footage, to contact police on 101, quoting reference 1203 1/11/23.

“Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.”