Horrific story on Sportinglife.com right now. Condolences to the Torrens.
TRAINER'S DAUGHTER KILLED IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT
The daughter of Northern Irish trainer Mervyn Torrens was killed after being crushed under heavy machinery.
Alison Torrens, eight, fell beneath a roller used to flatten the sand-based horse track on her father's land, outside the village of Drumquin, County Tyrone.
Her father, who is having his best ever season over jumps, was with her at the time.
Health and safety officials examined the scene as part of an investigation into the tragedy which has left the family devastated, according to friends.
Trainer Noel Meade, who is also chairman of the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association, said: "It is an absolutely tragic accident."
It happened as Mr Torrens was preparing gallops on his 65-acre estate at Willmount Road, Drumquin, 10 miles from Omagh.
Allison, a pupil at the village's Langfield Primary School, won several prizes at riding events in Northern Ireland. Her mother Anne is also involved with horses.
She has a younger daughter, Jennifer.
Mr Torrens is originally from Limavady, County Londonderry, but moved to Cavan in the Irish Republic before building stables on land at Drumquin.
Since moving there he has enjoyed plenty of success, with Quartetto having also finished 13th in last year's Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Journalist Jimmy Walker, who knows him well, said: "Mervyn is shrewd and unassuming, very quiet and unobtrusive.
"He had been doing so well up until this point."
Langfield Primary school principal Ruth Moore expressed her sadness.
"The entire, closely-knit school community share in the pain of losing one of its valued pupils and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very difficult time," she said.
Fr Kevin Mullan, parish priest of St Patrick's in Drumquin, added the whole community was devastated.
"Our school (St Joseph's Primary) had a link with her school and it's just heartbreaking for everybody."
DUP Northern Ireland Assembly member Thomas Buchanan, who lives a mile and a half from the family, said neighbours were pulling together to offer help and support.
"That will be needed to get them through this very difficult time and also the weeks and the months and the years that are to come as they have to learn to live with this great loss," he added.
Trainer Harold Kirk, who knows the family well, said: "She was mad keen on racing, you saw her at the racing, galloping.
"She came home yesterday excited and said the pony was better than his (her father's) race horses.
"She was just mad keen on horses and ponies. I would say when she left school all she would have wanted to do was race horses. She was your typical bubbly eight-year-old."
Mr Kirk said the family moved to Tyrone three years ago and Mr Torrens had been successful, buying horses from Germany.
"He is probably one of the best trainers in the north," he added.
"He was the nicest fellow, quite unassuming, would help you in any way.
"There would not have been a bad bone in his body and why something would happen to him I don't know. How you would go back on a track again I don't know."
He said all the trainers were shocked and wished the family every support in their grief.
TRAINER'S DAUGHTER KILLED IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT
The daughter of Northern Irish trainer Mervyn Torrens was killed after being crushed under heavy machinery.
Alison Torrens, eight, fell beneath a roller used to flatten the sand-based horse track on her father's land, outside the village of Drumquin, County Tyrone.
Her father, who is having his best ever season over jumps, was with her at the time.
Health and safety officials examined the scene as part of an investigation into the tragedy which has left the family devastated, according to friends.
Trainer Noel Meade, who is also chairman of the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association, said: "It is an absolutely tragic accident."
It happened as Mr Torrens was preparing gallops on his 65-acre estate at Willmount Road, Drumquin, 10 miles from Omagh.
Allison, a pupil at the village's Langfield Primary School, won several prizes at riding events in Northern Ireland. Her mother Anne is also involved with horses.
She has a younger daughter, Jennifer.
Mr Torrens is originally from Limavady, County Londonderry, but moved to Cavan in the Irish Republic before building stables on land at Drumquin.
Since moving there he has enjoyed plenty of success, with Quartetto having also finished 13th in last year's Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Journalist Jimmy Walker, who knows him well, said: "Mervyn is shrewd and unassuming, very quiet and unobtrusive.
"He had been doing so well up until this point."
Langfield Primary school principal Ruth Moore expressed her sadness.
"The entire, closely-knit school community share in the pain of losing one of its valued pupils and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very difficult time," she said.
Fr Kevin Mullan, parish priest of St Patrick's in Drumquin, added the whole community was devastated.
"Our school (St Joseph's Primary) had a link with her school and it's just heartbreaking for everybody."
DUP Northern Ireland Assembly member Thomas Buchanan, who lives a mile and a half from the family, said neighbours were pulling together to offer help and support.
"That will be needed to get them through this very difficult time and also the weeks and the months and the years that are to come as they have to learn to live with this great loss," he added.
Trainer Harold Kirk, who knows the family well, said: "She was mad keen on racing, you saw her at the racing, galloping.
"She came home yesterday excited and said the pony was better than his (her father's) race horses.
"She was just mad keen on horses and ponies. I would say when she left school all she would have wanted to do was race horses. She was your typical bubbly eight-year-old."
Mr Kirk said the family moved to Tyrone three years ago and Mr Torrens had been successful, buying horses from Germany.
"He is probably one of the best trainers in the north," he added.
"He was the nicest fellow, quite unassuming, would help you in any way.
"There would not have been a bad bone in his body and why something would happen to him I don't know. How you would go back on a track again I don't know."
He said all the trainers were shocked and wished the family every support in their grief.
