Prayers for Leia and Seth as Argyll mourns loss of toddlers
TRIBUTES to brother and sister toddlers who died after the car they were travelling in left the road and entered the water at Loch nan Druimnean, near Kilmelford, have been sent from across the globe.
Offers of financial support to the parents of Seth and Leia McCorrisken – aged two and three – have topped more than £13,000 as people have been donating to ensure the children receive a ‘ beautiful send off’.
Messages of support for the children’s parents, Hazel Lancaster and Neil McCorrisken, who live and run their own business on the Isle of Luing, have come from as far afield as Australia, Asia, Europe and across the UK.
Three days after the accident, friend Sarah Stopford set up a crowdfunding page online with the message: ‘I set up this page as a gesture to Neil and Hazel to show that we are all thinking of them.
‘Donating money is the least that we can do in an effort to help them at this terrible time.’
In only a few hours the page had doubled its target of £ 500, with children giving their pocket money and adults sending condolences to the parents and family from across the globe.
Messages have also been sent via The Oban Times Facebook page.
Brenda and Mick said: ‘ Our thoughts are with you and your family at this very sad time. We live in Cumbria now but know Kilmelford and that awful road from our time living in Oban.
‘God bless you and your beautiful children.’
From Australia, an anonymous woman said: ‘Can’t imagine the sadness.’
Crowdfunding donor Angela Murray said: ‘My heart is broken for your loss. I am praying you will get through this and be stronger than before. Much love from our family to yours xx’
Kilmelford and Kilninver Community Council sent flow- ers and sympathy to the family.
Cards, teddy bears and flowers have been laid by the roadside where the incident happened last Wednesday evening.
Islanders have rallied around the family offering help and support. They held a prayer service for the children and their family on Sunday.
Councillor Mary-Jean Devon, Argyll and Bute’s children’s champion, said: ‘Along with everyone else in Argyll, our thoughts and prayers go out to these two parents on the death of their beautiful baby children.
‘No words will ever be able to express how much sadness we feel for them.
‘In the coming days, months and weeks I know the communi- ty will gather around the family and help to support them as they try to come to terms with their most dreadful loss.
‘If there is anything I can do, I hope they will be in touch with me.’
Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell added his sympathy to the family, saying: ‘I think everybody is just completely stunned. It is a horrific thing to have happened. Nothing worse could be imagined for a family.
‘I think there’s a general sense of shock, both in the local community and more widely in Argyll.
‘It is a bad piece of road, it’s a difficult piece of road, and the weather was very bad.
‘I do think that people are looking at this and saying it’s a terrible, terrible thing to happen and looking at the conditions and wondering whether they were contributing. But we don’t know any more and I think we should obviously wait to hear what the police have to say.’
The Reverend Kenneth Ross, of Luing Parish Church, said: ‘The tragic accident at Loch nan Druimnean that resulted in Leia and Seth losing their lives has greatly affected many people, not only in our immediate area but far beyond.
‘Our hearts go out to their parents, wider family and friends. Leia and Seth were remembered in prayers at all the Netherlorn churches on Sunday July 10.’
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: ‘Inquiries are continuing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.’
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Divisional Road Policing Unit at Campbeltown on 101.
A Lochgilphead man was one of the first ‘heroes’ on the scene of the tragedy. Read his story on page nine.