Elderly couple and teenager killed in crash in North

A retired couple returning from a dance and a teenager on his way home from a Christian rally were killed in a road crash in the North today.

Pensioners Peter and Kathleen Toner, aged 78 and 67, from Pomeroy, Co Tyrone and 19-year-old Joel Marshall from Omagh died when the cars they were passengers in collided near Cookstown shortly before 1am.

Four other people were injured in the horror smash involving a Ford Focus and Citroen Picasso on the Drum Road.

The fatalities take to 38 the number of people who have lost their lives on the roads in the North so far this year.

The Toners were making their way home with another couple after spending the evening at an old time dance in the Broughderg Community Centre.

Mr Marshall was in the car with two male friends after attending a youth rally at a Free Presbyterian church in Randalstown, Co Antrim.

While the Toner’s parish priest today described them as a lovely couple, friends of the former Omagh high school pupil paid emotional tributes to him.

“It’s just so very sad,” said father Garrett Campbell.

“The Toners really were lovely, they were both so jolly and friendly with everyone. It’s an awful tragedy for everyone involved.” Cookstown councillor Sean Clarke had been at the dance with the couple.

“I saw them leaving around 20 minutes before the end, like they always did, and it’s unbelievable to think only a few minutes later they were involved in this accident,” said the Sinn Féin representative.

“It is a terrible tragedy. They were a lovely couple, so friendly and genuine. They never missed the dances, they just loved them.

“My sympathies of course go to the family of the young man that died as well. It really is a tragic event.”

Friends of Mr Marshall, the son of a well known Omagh farmer, left poignant messages on his Bebo social networking site throughout today.

One read: “You’re gone but you’ll never be forgotten, you will be smiling down on us all from heaven, keeping us safe.

Another said: “You were one of a kind pet, things are never gonna be the same.”

It is understood the accident happened on a straight stretch of the Drum Road. Such was the ferocity of the impact, more than a dozen firefighters had to use hydraulic equipment to free the dead and injured.

Omagh councillor Clive McFarland said the crash had stunned the town.

“It a huge tragedy that three people have lost their lives in this accident,” he said.

Police have appealed for witnesses to the crash to come forward.