Torquay raises €4k for crash families

A community in England has raised over €4,000 for the victims of a crash that claimed the lives a Cork couple’s two children.

The Hamelin Way Fund in Devon was set up for the bereaved families: Con, 39, and Elber, 36, Twomey, from Meelin in Co Cork, and the widow of Marek Wojciechowski, 26, a father of two.

Toddler Oisín Twomey (18 months) and his unborn sister Elber Marie, died in the crash at Torquay, Devon, on Jul 6.

The fundraising drive was organised by the Torre and Upton Community Partnership in the days after the devastating crash.

Spokeswoman Susie Colley said: “It was horrendous. During collections last weekend we met a gentleman who lives near the site of the crash who actually heard the impact — which was absolutely horrendous. It was a terrible shock for the community here and that’s really what instigated this fundraising drive.”

To date, collections and donations have raised €4,300 to be distributed to the Twomey and Wojciechowski families.

The organisers suggested residual funds could be spent on a fitting legacy for the Twomey family amongst their community in Meelin.

“This was just a suggestion, it’s completely up to the Irish contingency as to how the funds are spent. The initial aim was to help cover the cost of relatives going back and forth,” said Ms Colley.

The fundraising drive is expected to wind down at the end of September.

“You would have done the same in Ireland had the situation been reversed. Sadly, it won’t bring back their children but it’s the least we can do to help,” said Ms Colley.

The Twomeys were making their way to the ferry to return to Ireland after a family holiday in south-west England when the crash happened on the Hamelin Way outside Torquay.

The couple were transferred from Devon to Cork University Hospital last week after six weeks at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

* Donations can be made at hamelinwayfund.org