Families pay tribute to those killed in north-east collision

Five people died when a 4x4 and minibus collided on the A96 near Keith

The grief-stricken families of five people killed in one of the worst north-east crashes in recent memory have paid tribute to their loved ones.

Ted Reid, 63, Evalyn Collie, 69, and Audrey Appleby, 70, were travelling home from a country music night when the 4x4 they were in collided with a minibus full of Italian tourists heading north from Tayside.

Despite the desperate efforts of passersby and paramedics, they could not be saved and died at the scene.

The driver of the 4x4, Morag Smith, was taken to Dr Gray’s in Elgin.

Two people from the minibus – fouryear-old Lorenzo Ciociola and 63-yearold Frances Saliba Patane – also died.

Lorenzo’s mother Concetta, 33, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

His father, Alfredo, 45, three-year-old brother Federico and a 70-year-old man suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Yesterday, it emerged the group had made the trip from Sicily to Scotland to celebrate Ms Patane’s birthday – which was Thursday, the day of the crash.

Relatives of those killed in the crash, which happened on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road near Keith, yesterday thanked the emergency services for their response.

And as their communities rallied around to offer support, the heartbroken families also paid tribute to their loved ones.

Ms Collie, from Aberchirder, was well-known both in the village and further afield in Kemnay, where her family run A&G Collie Butchers and the Bennachie Lodge Hotel.

She was also instrumental in helping vulnerable people in the area, running a day care centre on behalf of the Gordon Dementia Services in Inverurie for more than 20 years.

In a statement, her family said: “We have lost a beautiful lady.

“We now request that we are given the time and privacy to grieve and come to terms with our tragic loss.”

Mr Reid, who grew up in Aberchirder but lived in Macduff, was described by his loved ones as selfless.

“Ted was a devoted husband, dad, granda, brother and friend,” his family said.

Picture: PA. The badly damaged vehicles being removed from the scene.