'THIS MADNESS HAS TO STOP'

Ian Rodgers issued a stark warning to children and their parents about the dangers of the practice after his son, Scott, was crushed under the wheels of a truck near the entrance to Ballyduff Quarry last week.

On Tuesday afternoon (August 10), Scott was one of a number of young people taking part in the 'lorry surfing' craze at the site on Ballyduff Brae.

As lorries slow to turn into the quarry, waiting children jump off the wall at the entrance and try to hang onto the vehicles as they drive on. However, on this occasion Scott's friends watched in horror as he slipped, wasn't able to hold on, and fell under the back wheels.

In an interview with the Times on Monday, Mr Rodgers revealed how his 14-year-old son has been in intensive care for a week and undergone three major operations as surgeons battle to save his legs.

"It's been an absolute nightmare. We need to warn kids and their parents about how dangerous this is. We wouldn't want any other family to have to go through what we're going through at the minute," he said.

Local PSNI officer Adrian Woods and community worker John Scott have echoed the call for an end to the 'lorry surfing' craze.

"It's terrible what happened to Scott and I wish him well for his recovery, but this is a harsh lesson to other young people in the area that this complete madness has to stop," Cllr Scott commented.

Read the full story in this week's Times...