– Irish boy death after sulky fall in England ruled accident
– Tragic Irish boy sulky fall in England ruled accident.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Denis Ward, a young man from Bradford, West Yorkshire, suffered a fatal accident at the Appleby Horse Fair in June 2023. The incident occurred when Denis fell from the back of a moving horse trailer, known as a sulky, and hit his head on the road, ultimately leading to his untimely death five days later, as revealed in an inquest.
Eye witnesses at the fair saw Denis falling backwards from the sulky, a small cart attached to a trailer that was approximately two feet off the ground. The tragic event unfolded as the sulky, affixed to a trailer and pulled by a moving pickup truck, made a left turn from Battlebarrow road in Appleby towards the A66.
Yasmin Doe, who witnessed the incident, described how Denis became instantly unconscious and began having a seizure on the road. Police officers and paramedics quickly arrived at the scene, and an air ambulance was called in due to the severity of Denis’s injuries.
Denis was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, where his condition deteriorated rapidly. On June 14, doctors declared Denis brain-stem dead after conducting a series of tests.
His funeral, held on June 27, was a somber affair marked by floral tributes, Irish flags, and photographs of the young man. The procession included Rolls Royce vehicles, white vans, and horses as part of the cortege through Bradford.
Police investigation and findings
A police statement presented to the coroner’s court in Cockermouth revealed that the practice of “hitching a ride” is common among young people at the fair. This activity, often done without the driver’s knowledge, involves individuals climbing onto moving vehicles as they travel back from the town to their accommodation.
The investigation found that the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident was unaware that Denis was on the trailer. Despite seizing the driver’s phone and interviewing a female passenger who corroborated his unawareness, no further action was taken against him.
Excessive speed was ruled out as a factor in the accident, as the area was described as busy, chaotic, and slow-moving, with traffic, pedestrians, and horses crowding the streets.
Concerns over Appleby Horse Fair
The coroner, Ms Kirsty Gomersal, received numerous concerns about the nature of the Appleby Horse Fair, an annual gathering of gypsies and Travellers. The fair, which lacks a central organising body, has been the subject of requests to become a ticketed event, but the legality of such a move remains unclear.
The management of the fair aims to strike a balance between the rights of visiting communities and local residents. Warning messages and signs highlighting the dangers of climbing aboard moving vehicles, especially on Battlebarrow, are part of the safety plan for the upcoming fair in 2024.
Conclusion
Ms Gomersal concluded that no one was to blame for Denis’s tragic death. She noted that the lack of central organisation at Appleby Horse Fair was not a specific factor in the incident. As the anniversary of Denis’s passing approaches, it is hoped that the upcoming fair will pass without similar tragedy.
A warning has been issued to attendees of the Appleby Horse Fair, advising them not to arrive too soon for the event starting on Thursday, June 6.
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– Death of Irish boy after sulky fall in England ruled an accident
– Irish boy after sulky fall in England ruled an accident.
