A young English boy who was orphaned last month when his parents as well as his brother and stepsister were killed in a car crash near Mallow, Co Cork, returned to England yesterday with his uncle and aunt.
Simon Pickford (3), arrived in Co Cork on August 25th with his father Eric (45), his mother Gillian (35), his brother Matthew (6) and stepsister Emma (14). They were travelling on the main Mallow-Killarney road when their car collided head on with a truck.
A telephone number found in Ms Pickford's handbag was the only clue gardai had to relatives of the deceased, and immediately Mr Bob Pickford and his wife Pauline flew to Ireland.
Ms Pauline Pickford said Simon's recovery had been wonderful, given the extent of his injuries. "Simon knows very little at this stage because being just three years old, he has little comprehension of what's happened. He still thinks he's on holiday," Ms Pickford said as they left Cork with the boy for Stockport, near Manchester.