Stunned by an awful tragedy (From South Wales Argus)

Stunned by an awful tragedy

11:57am Friday 3rd November 2006

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EBBW VALE is a town in shock today after the deaths of four schoolgirls - the fourth crash which claimed four lives in Gwent in the past five years.

PEOPLE in the close-knit village of Garnlydan are in deep mourning today for the loss of four young lives.

On the street and in local shops, residents broke down in tears as they learned of the horrific crash which will touch almost every home in the area.

The four teenage girls who died were popular youngsters known by everyone in the quiet village on the outskirts of Ebbw Vale.

The girls, all aged 15 and 16, were all pupils at Glyncoed Comprehensive School. Two were regulars at the Garnlydan youth drop in centre - one of those was popular 16-year-old Louise Jones from Queensway in the village.

Sarah Adlam, a session worker at the centre called Another Planet, said: "Louise lived in the community so I've known her since she was a little girl. She came to the drop in centre."

She said Louise and her frind were "inseparable - they were always together.

"They were just normal girls into fashion and hair and make-up. They were both blossoming into lovely young ladies.

"The whole community will be devastated by this. Louise was a quiet girl but growing up into a lovely young lady. She was a very pretty girl.

"The last time we saw them was at our Hallowe'en party on Tuesday night. Our thoughts are with the families."

Nathan Edwards, 18, of Beechfield Close, Garnlydan, said: "I heard about it last night. A couple of friends came around and said there had been a crash.

"I thought they were joking. I switched the radio on and when I heard the news I went white.

"I know one of the girls, Louise Jones, very well. She would always be the friend I went to when I had a problem.

"She liked walking around with her friends. She liked meeting new people and doing the same as any other teenager.

"She turned 16 only two weeks ago."

Mr Edwards grew up with Louise and they both attended Garnlydan Primary School.

"The community here will be devastated," he said. "She was a very popular girl- well-liked and always full of life. No one will believe it."

Callie Jones, 17, of Beaufort, paid tribute to the "really popular girls" from Garnlydan.

"They were a few years younger than me," she said. "They were both really popular girls. I felt I had to come up (to the scene) to pay my respects.

"I have cousins their age and it would be terrible if something like this happened to them.

"Everybody is really upset about it and our thoughts are with the parents."

Becky Love, 17, who used to be at school with them, said: "It hasn't hit us yet. We can't take it in. They were lovely girls. They didn't deserve to die like this."

She said Lousie enjoyed drama and performing.

A local shopkeeper in Garnlydan, who did not wish to be named, said the crash is all people are talking about today.

"It is a terrible thing," he said. "People seem to think they were local girls that were killed. Whoever they were it is still a tragedy."

LOCAL politicians spoke of their shock today.

Blaenau Gwent council leader John Hopkins said: "I had a phone call from a colleague last night and he told me about the tragic accident.

"Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family and friends of those so tragically killed. To lose one life in an accident is dreadful but to have four people killed, be they friends or from the same family, compounds the sadness. It is beyond belief to have four people killed in an accident.

"We will now just have to wait to hear who was involved and the nature of the accident."

Blaenau Gwent MP, Dai Davies, said: "This is tragic, absolutely tragic. It is a dangerous road. It has a history of accidents. A man and his son were killed there some years ago.

"News of the accident is horrific. Our thoughts go out to the families."

THE latest tragedy is the fourth time since 2001 in which four people have died in Gwent crashes.

*In December 2001 four friends died when a car plunged from the Caerleon Road at St Julians, Newport, into the River Usk.

Anthony Hill, 35, from Durham Road, Matthew Reardon, 23, of Eveswell Street, Leighton Pring, 22 and Martin Briggs, 34 both of Bishton Street, and all from Newport, died in the tragedy.

Only Kristian Reardon, Matthew's brother, managed to escape the submerged car to raise the alarm. The friends were driving back from a pool match in Caerleon.

*In October 2004, four men died after a BMW car plunged 100ft down a quarry at Swffryd.

19-year-old Alex Williams and 21-year-old Karl Devlin, both from Malpas, Newport, died along with Shane Powell, 29, from Pontypool and 47-year-old Jack Magee from Aberbeeg.

*In June 2005 Four Risca men died after their car swerved off the B4239 coast road between Newport and Cardiff.

Brothers Scott, 25, and Warren Harding, 27, and their friends Geraint Hill, 26, and Andrew Brooks, 30, were setting off for an evening fishing trip.

They drowned when their car overturned in the reen

A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said: "At around 9.10pm we had a report that a car had left the road by a passer-by.

"We were on the scene fairly quickly and when we got there, we discovered it was a one-vehicle road traffic collision.

"The two males were walking when we got there and they were taken to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.

"Unfortunately there were four fatalities.

"The females were pronounced dead at the scene and their bodies were taken to Nevill Hall Hospital."

He added: "I've driven that road several times and I imagine it would have been very icy."

The area is known locally as Llangynidr Moors and there are few crash barriers up there. People don't use the road as much, but they are probably using it at the moment because of work on the Heads of the Valleys Road.

"News of the accident is horrific. Our thoughts go out to the families."

A police spokesman said the Vauxhall Corsa had been removed from the scene and crash investigators will examine it. Investigators remain at the scene, examining the road which was not expected to re-open before midday.

The road remained closed today while police investigate the scene. Dyfed Powys Police had set up road blocks in the area near the boundary of Garnlydan village.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire Service said one engine and a rescue tender from Ebbw Vale attended the scene of the crash.

Anyone with information about the accident can phone Dyfed Powys Police on 0845 3302000.

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