Northern Ireland

Eoin Hamill (12) dies after his bicycle was struck by four-wheel drive vehicle close to west Belfast home

Eoin Hamill, a Year 9 pupil at Coláiste Feirste Irish-medium school in west Belfast, was close to the junction of Upper Springfield Road and Norglen Parade shortly after 4.30pm when the crash happened
Eoin Hamill, a Year 9 pupil at Coláiste Feirste Irish-medium school in west Belfast, was close to the junction of Upper Springfield Road and Norglen Parade shortly after 4.30pm when the crash happened Eoin Hamill, a Year 9 pupil at Coláiste Feirste Irish-medium school in west Belfast, was close to the junction of Upper Springfield Road and Norglen Parade shortly after 4.30pm when the crash happened

A "POPULAR" 12-year-old boy has died after being struck by a four-wheel drive vehicle as he cycled close to his home yesterday,

Eoin Hamill, a Year 9 pupil at Coláiste Feirste Irish-medium school in west Belfast, was close to the junction of Upper Springfield Road and Norglen Parade shortly after 4.30pm when the crash happened.

A frantic 999 call was made to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service at 4.35pm and a Rapid Response Paramedic and an Emergency Crew were dispatched to the scene.

Police closed the road from the top of Whiterock Road and at the top of Monagh Bypass and the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) team "was also tasked to the incident, responding by car".

The boy, who is from nearby Turf Lodge, was assessed and treated at the scene before being taken to the nearby Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, but died a short time after the accident.

Last night, his bicycle was still lying in the road, close to a black SUV, as forensic officers continued to examine the scene hours after the collision and his parents Marty and Lisa, family, friends and neighbours struggled to absorb their loss.

A "well-established amateur boxer", Eoin Hamill was a member of Gleann club and had represented Co Antrim against Co Kildare in the championships in Belfast just before Christmas - winning his bout.

Belfast Boxers paid tribute on Facebook and published photographs of him taken on that day, writing of the "heart-breaking news".

"Sad sad news for everyone involved in Boxing condolences to all his family boxing coaches and all his wee friends at this terrible time god bless and rest easy young Eoin," they wrote.

Sinn Féin councillor Micheal Donnelly said he had witnessed the "a tragic accident".

"It's devastating, the whole community is just numb," he said.

"Eoin was a popular young lad, popular in Coláiste Feirste and a well-established amateur boxer who boxed with Gleann. Our sympathies are with his family and extended family, who are very well got and well respected families within our community.

"We offer them our sympathies and we will do everything we can to help them get through this difficult time in the coming days and weeks and months.

"It has been a traumatic experience for everybody. Our thoughts are with Eoin's mother, father and everyone else suffering at this sad time and our prayers are with them."