Slurry Death Funerals: Relatives Mourn

Funerals for top Ulster rugby player Nevin Spence, his brother and father, who died in a farming accident, are taking place.

Nevin, 22, brother Graham, 30, and their father Noel, 68, all died last week when they were overcome by slurry fumes at their family farm in County Down.

A joint funeral service for the three men at Ballynahinch Baptist Church this afternoon will be followed by a burial at Inch Cemetery.

They all died trying to save each other after entering the slurry tank in a bid to retrieve the family dog.

Details of how Nevin's sister Emma, who survived, bravely battled to rescue her family have now emerged.

Neighbour and family friend Edwin Poots has revealed Miss Spence, an artist, twice climbed into the slurry tank at the farm near Hillsborough.

He said Graham first entered the tank to save the dog, lowering down a ladder. When he got into trouble, his father went in. Nevin  followed because by then, they were both in danger.

Miss Spence rushed to help and managed to pull her father onto the ladder. He was brought out and onlookers fought to revive him.

Meanwhile, his daughter went back and found her brother Graham lying on the floor of the tank. She was then overcome by the odourless fumes and had to be rescued by neighbours who heard calls for help.

Mr Poots, a health minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, said: "Emma risked her own life to try and save her father and brothers. Physically I don't know how she managed it because her dad is a big man.

"With the weight of the slurry and so on, she needed to muster unbelievable strength to get him pulled up and then she went back in again, risking her life a second time.

"It is maybe some comfort to the family she didn't lose her life. She was incredibly brave."

Health and safety experts are carrying out an investigation into the tragedy, which happened last Saturday.