Belfast Telegraph

Girl (14) dies after accident on farm

Tributes paid to tragic Newry teen as Health and Safety Executive launches probe

- BY DAVID YOUNG

A FAMILY has been left heartbroke­n after a 14-year-old girl died in a tragic accident on a farm outside Newry.

The teenager was named locally as Abbie Nummy (right), a pupil at Newry High School.

It happened in the rural Bernish area close to the border, on Saturday afternoon.

Emergency services — including the Air

Ambulance —were dispatched to the scene, but the young girl’s life could not be saved.

Newry councillor Gavin Malone said Abbie’s loss had devastated the family. “I’m just back from the wake. It’s absolutely tragic,” he said.

“My heart goes out to the family. The wee girl was only 14.

“The family are such lovely people, such a wonderful family, it’s just devastatin­g. It’s very emotional. They are a hugely respected family in the area. They’re such lovely people. It’s heartbreak­ing.”

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigat­ion into the death.

❝ She was only 14, the family are such lovely people, such a wonderful family, it’s devastatin­g

A TEENAGE girl has been killed in a tragic accident on a farm outside Newry.

It happened in the rural Bernish area, south of the city and close to the border, on Saturday afternoon.

The tragic teenager was named locally as Abbie Nummy (14), a pupil at Newry High School.

Emergency services — including the Air Ambulance — were dispatched to the scene, but the young girl’s life could not be saved.

A spokesman for the NI Ambulance Service (NIAS) said it received an emergency call at just after 2pm on Saturday.

Two emergency crews were sent to the farm, plus one ambulance officer and the Air Ambulance.

No one was taken from the scene by the NIAS, the spokesman said.

Independen­t Newry councillor Gavin Malone said Abbie’s loss had devastated the well-respected local family.

“I’m just back from the wake. It’s absolutely tragic,” he said.

“My heart goes out to the family.

“The wee girl was only 14. “The family are such lovely people, such a wonderful family, it’s just devastatin­g.

“I was at the wake.

“It’s very emotional. “They are a hugely respected family in the area. “They’re such lovely people. “It’s hard to know what to say.

“It’s heartbreak­ing.” On social media, friends of Abbie and her family offered condolence­s to the grieving Nummy family.

“Sincere sympathies to Nummy and McKay families from all the Crozier family. So terribly sad,” posted Sandra Crozier.

Christine Henry wrote on Facebook: “Deepest sympathy to Lorna (Abbie’s mum), the family circle and her friends.

“Abbie was the loveliest, well mannered child and will be missed by all who knew her.”

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland confirmed yesterday that it had launched an investigat­ion into the circumstan­ces surroundin­g

Abbie’s tragic death.

A spokespers­on said in a statement: “HSENI received a report of an incident in Newry and attended the scene.”

A PSNI spokeswoma­n told the Belfast Telegraph last night that the fatal incident was being investigat­ed by HSENI, and that a report would be prepared by the PSNI for the coroner’s inquest into the teenager’s death.

Seven people died in farming accidents in 2018/19 and also in 2017/18.

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 ??  ?? Abbie Nummy and (below) Councillor Gavin Malone
Abbie Nummy and (below) Councillor Gavin Malone
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