Grandfather’s tribute to ‘happy, lovely boys’ killed in hit-and-run

THE family of two young brothers killed in a hit-and-run have paid tribute to the “happy, caring and lovely” children.

The grandfather of Corey and Casper Platt-May, who were aged six and two, also called for action to crack down on speeding drivers after the tragedy in Coventry.

A 53-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and causing death by dangerous driving after the brothers were hit by a car on Thursday.

After placing a football alongside other tributes near the accident scene in the Stoke area of Coventry, the boys’ grandfather, Kim May, said he had witnessed the aftermath of the incident.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Mr May, accompanied by his sister and the boys’ aunt, described their deaths as an “absolute nightmare”.

Asked what he had seen after the youngsters were hit, the grieving grandparent said: “It was just like a war zone out here. It looked like a bomb had just exploded, it was terrible.”

Urging the local authority to introduce speed-calming measures, Mr May said of speeding drivers: “It’s still going on, the speeding down this road, it’s ridiculous.”

Addressing the allegations against those arrested, Mr May added: “Drink-drivers, we have been told — something needs to be done drastically.”

Paying tribute to his grandsons, Mr May said: “The boys were the heart and soul, the boys were lovely, they’d do anything.

“They were just very happy, so jolly, lovely boys and their lives have been taken away so young, it’s unbelievable. I just don’t know what to say, it’s just crazy.

“Corey was a very, very gifted footballer at a young age. Casper, he was like any two-year-old — he was just lovely. Corey, he Right: Kirby and Bailey Payne, aunt and cousin of brothers Corey and Casper (above left), lay flowers close to the scene where the boys were killed in a hitand-run. Left: Reese Platt-May, the father of Corey and Casper, hugs his sister Tia Fletcher

loved his football, he played football every Saturday.”

The brothers were with their mother in MacDonald Road at around 2pm when they were struck by a black Ford Focus.

They were taken to hospital with severe injuries.

Casper could not be revived

and died soon after, while Corey was rushed into surgery, but also died. Their mother was unhurt.

Yesterday, a witness to the tragedy said he did all he could to help to the young boys.

Avtar Chagger was in his office when he heard a loud bang. He said: “I saw it was a really bad

accident and there was a lot of panic and emotions, and I kept talking to the ambulance and the police to tell them exactly where we are, and gave them the postcode.

“They told me to see if the sixyear-old was breathing. I bent down and then a doctor came off

the bus (to help Corey) so I went to the next child.

“There was somebody pressing the chest of the two-year-old. I held the nose and I breathed into the child a number of times. By then the police and ambulance arrived and I came aside and let them deal with it.”