POLICE have named a teenage girl who died in a collision in Co. Down last night as Jaidyn Rice from Bangor.
The 16-year-old pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene following a collision involving a car on the West Circular Road in Bangor at around 10.55pm on Tuesday.
She was one of two young people to die in collisions in the county last night after a young boy passed away following a hit-and-run at the Strand area of Portaferry.
The boy was riding a scooter when it was involved in a collision with a red Skoda Fabia at around 11pm.
He was taken to hospital but sadly died as a result of his injuries, while a 51-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of a number of related offences.
Gillian McCollum, Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, said news of the deaths was ‘utterly devastating’.
“Jaidyn was a cherished North Down Community Network — NDCN DICE leader and made an enormous impact in her local community in her short and precious life,” she said.
“I am heartbroken for her family and friends, for the Clandeboye community and most of all for Jaidyn, who had a whole beautiful life ahead of her.
“I am also aware that another family in Portaferry suffered the devastating loss of a child in a car accident last night. Another unspeakable tragedy.
“The whole Borough grieves with both these families and offers its thoughts, prayers and heartfelt sympathies.”
Ms McCollum’s Alliance Party colleague, North Down MLA Connie Egan Egan, also offered her sympathies.
“Any death on our roads is a tragedy, but to see those so young, children who had their whole lives ahead of them, lose their lives is particularly devastating,” she said.
“I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of Jaidyn Rice and young boy from Portaferry, who are going through the unthinkable right now.
“It serves as a sobering reminder of the responsibility we all have every time we get into the driver’s seat, and I would encourage anyone who has any information that could be relevant to the investigation of this incident to please get in touch with police.”
Anyone with information on either incident is asked to contact investigators on 101.