Schoolgirl killed in road accident described by her teachers as 'a joy to teach' and 'always smiling'

The 11-year-old was a first year pupil at St Pius X College in Magherafelt.

Tributes have poured in for the schoolgirl who was struck by a car exiting a bus at Hillhead Road near the village around 4pm.

The school said in a tribute that her friends and classmates are "heartbroken".

In a Facebook post the school said: “It was with profound sadness that we were informed this morning about the loss of one of our pupils. Our thoughts and prayers are with Caitlin Rose’s mother and father, her brother, Shea, who is also a pupil at St Pius X College, and the wider family circle during this incredibly difficult time.

“Caitlin Rose was a very popular pupil who was always smiling. Her Form Teachers described her as ‘a joy to teach due to her kind and fun-loving nature’. She was an outgoing, bubbly and caring child, who will be greatly missed by fellow pupils and staff alike. Over the course of Year 8, Caitlin Rose earned numerous accolades for excellent effort and outstanding classwork, approaching every assignment with interest and enthusiasm.”

Police have said that they believe that there was a large crowd in the area at the time and have appealed for people not to share footage from the incident on social media.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “There was a large number of people in the vicinity at the time who may have recorded video footage of the scene. I would ask anyone with footage not to share it on social media, but instead forward it to police through the Major Incident Public Portal. This footage will be of great assistance to officers investigating the collision."