Boys drown in NI pool tragedy

Two young boys drowned in a private swimming pool in Northern Ireland it emerged today.

Two young boys drowned in a private swimming pool, it emerged today.

The boys, aged four and two, died despite desperate attempts to revive them after they were rushed to hospital.

The pair were taken from the pool at a house in the Ardaveen area of Newry, Co Down, around 5.30pm yesterday.

Detectives were examining the scene of the tragedy today to try to establish exactly what happened.

It is believed the boys were neighbours in a new housing development outside Newry. The children were taken to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

Parish priest Father Richard Naughton, who visited the hospital last night, described it as “an appalling tragedy”.

“It is just so hard to be with any person who has lost a child. It is heartbreaking to see people who have loved their child and who have had this child taken from them,” he said.

Fr Naughton said one of the boys would have celebrated his fifth birthday next week. The other, whom he had baptised, was nearly three.

Ulster Unionist Assembly member Danny Kennedy said. “It is a very great tragedy. I offer my profound sympathies to the family.

“I have no doubt that the local community, who are shocked and stunned, will rally round to give whatever assistance they can,” he added.