Latest news with #WeekendNewsCatchup
Belfast Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Over £40k raised for family of US woman killed in crash outside Bushmills hotel: ‘An unimaginable tragedy'
An American woman who died following a fatal crash incident outside a hotel in Bushmills last week has been described by her friends and family as 'a beautiful person inside and out'. It comes as a fundraiser for Connecticut mum-of-two Allison Eichner has so-far raised over $57,000 (£42,000) to support her husband and two sons. Last Wednesday police confirmed Ms Eichner, who was aged in her 40s, died in hospital from her injuries following a one-vehicle crash in the Causeway Road area of the village. On Friday an American woman appeared in court charged with causing death by careless driving. In the fundraiser for Ms Eichner, a group of her family friends spoke about her trip to the island of Ireland and their 'devastation' over her loss. Writing on the fundraiser, friends described her as having a 'kindness and generosity that radiated through everything she did'. "She had a gift for making everyone around her feel seen, loved, and truly cared for,' it added. 'Allison was a devoted wife to Dan and an amazing mom to their two beautiful boys, Sean and Joey. Her love for her family was limitless, and her greatest joy was being their rock, their safe place, and their biggest cheerleader. 'To those who knew her well, Allison's quiet sense of humour often caught you off guard — sweet on the surface, with an unexpectedly sharp and hilarious wit, and a wonderfully dirty sense of humour that always made you laugh when you least expected it. "She was the person who gave endlessly, never asking for anything in return. Whether it was her time, her love, or just a listening ear over a cup of tea (with gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, of course), Allison was always there." The fundraiser added: 'Just days ago, Allison was on a long-awaited, special trip to Ireland to explore her heritage. What was meant to be a time of joy and exploration ended far too soon in an unimaginable tragedy. Weekend News Catchup - 16th June 2025 'As we process this devastating loss, many have asked how they can help. This GoFundMe has been created to support Dan, Sean, and Joey — to help with funeral expenses, immediate needs, and to provide some peace of mind as they begin to find their way forward. 'If you can give, thank you. If you can share, thank you. Most of all, please keep Allison's family in your thoughts and prayers.' On Friday Coleraine Magistrates' Court heard that Cathy Stewart, 66, a special needs teacher from Benton, Illinois, lost control of an electric vehicle as she parked it outside a hotel. The vehicle was described as having 'suddenly bolted forward' into furniture, striking Ms Eichner. Ms Stewart appeared before the court charged with causing death by careless driving. She indicated she understood the charge when it was put to her. A police constable said she believed she could connect the accused to the charge. 'It involved a grey Ford Transit, a multiple person vehicle, being driven by the defendant. The defendant collided with the pedestrian while she sat on a bench at the front of the property,' she added. The constable said Ms Stewart was interviewed by police with her solicitor, answered all questions put to her, co-operated fully, and appeared remorseful. She said Ms Eichner suffered severe injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred to the Causeway Hospital but died of her injuries a short time later. A defence lawyer for Ms Stewart described a 'tragic, tragic case'. 'This was a simple error which has caused catastrophic consequences,' he said. 'This was an electric vehicle, she pushed the button, she assumed that the vehicle was off and of course being electric it doesn't make any noise. Unfortunately it has surged forward. 'At the end of her interview she was asked was there anything she wanted to say, I'll read what she said: 'I'm just devastated, I can't get that family out of my mind. I'm the person who protects, to know that someone lost their life is devastating'. 'This is devastating for two sets of people, most especially the family of the deceased, and throughout Mrs Stewart's only thoughts have been with that bereaved family.' Relatives of Ms Eichner watched court proceedings remotely while Stewart was granted bail on a number of conditions, including residing at her home address in Illinois and a £5,000 cash surety, in recognition that the case is unlikely to be heard until 2026 at the earliest.
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Concerns at number of fast food shops next to NI schools spelled out
New research has discovered that nearly one in five (17%) secondary schools in Northern Ireland have five or more fast food outlets within a 400m radius. The figures were published today in a Food Standards Agency study called 'The Availability of Fast Food Outlets and Grocery Retailers in Northern Ireland and Their Distance From Secondary Schools'. The research found that in Northern Ireland, on average, there are an average of 2.2 fast food outlets within a 400m radius of a secondary school. One in five schools have five or more outlets within the same radius. There's also an average 0.8 grocery retailers within a 400m radius of secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Weekend News Catchup - 16th June 2025 Some 50% of schools have no fast food outlets within a 400m radius while 56% of schools have no grocery retailers within that radius. Of the secondary schools with no grocery retailers within 400m, 20% have at least one fast food outlet inside that distance. Across Northern Ireland, there are approximately 2.5 times as many secondary schools with one or more fast food outlets in the most deprived areas compared to the least; and around three times as many secondary schools with one or more grocery retailers in the most deprived areas compared to the least. FSA Head of Science and Surveillance Naomi Davidson, a contributing author to the report, said the research can help the FSA's work in improving children's meals outside the home. 'We know from the Health Inequalities Annual Report that an average of 5.6% of Year 8 pupils in Northern Ireland live with obesity, with a higher proportion observed in the most deprived areas,' she said. 'We also know from research in England there are more fast food outlets in highly deprived areas.' Explaining the implications of the research, Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency said: 'Healthy food for our children at school is important to support their day to day learning, but it is also a formative period of their life to develop healthy habits for life. 'Understanding the food environments close to schools can help develop policies to increase the likelihood of children having nutritious food during the school day.'
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock win the World Cup of Darts for NI: ‘I'll have a sore head in the morning'
Gurney and Rock defeated Wales 10-9 in Frankfurt in a thrilling final on Sunday night, with Superchin hitting a double eight under enormous pressure to secure Northern Ireland's first team world title. In the previous set, Gurney had three darts to hit a double five, only to fall short. He put things right in the decisive leg, hitting 180 on route to victory. Gurney's dramatic eight sparked wild celebrations after a dramatic day of darts that saw Northern Ireland defeat the Republic of Ireland 8-5 in the Quarter-Finals and host nation 8-1 in the Semi-Finals. The Londonderry man said: 'Josh's power scoring was incredible. All I had to do was finish up 'I might get a fine for this…but whenever I was going for that double five, a wee bit of pooh came flying out. 'But I was never going to miss double eight. I wasn't going to make the same mistake again. 'I have never been so proud of this man and myself. I put this in higher regard than I did winning an individual event. 'This is incredible. I think I will have a sore head in the morning.' Broughshane's Josh Rock could not hide his emotion, as the strains of Sweet Caroline rang round the packed Frankfurth arena. He produced an incredible performance in the Final, hitting a string of maximums. He told Sky Sports: 'If you told me the first time that Daryl and I played together that we'd win a World Cup together, I'm not sure I would have believed you. 'I don't think many people expected us to win the World Cup. But we did it.' Rock, ranked 17th in the world, is optimistic that success in the World Cup will supercharge his individual career. He explained: 'When it went to the final leg, I said to myself I have to hit a 180 here. I didn't have because, Daryl did it. He was fantastic. Absolutely incredible. 'It's a catalyst for us both. I believe one of us will win a major this year, because the experience of winning this tournament on the big stage in front of the Sky Sports cameras can only help us. 'It's a privilege to represent your country. To make history and to win a World Cup for Northern Ireland is unreal. There will always be a star on our shirt from now on. I'm so proud of that.' Weekend News Catchup - 16th June 2025 Gurney was keen to congratulate the Welsh pair of Gerwyn Price and Johnny Clayton, who pushed Northern Ireland all the way. They defeated the Netherlands 8-5 in their Semi-Final, after trailing 4-2 at one stage. He said: 'I would like to say congratulations Gerwyn and Johnny. They're standing here applauding us when many other teams would have left the stage. That shows their class. 'They are two brilliant performers who did their country proud tonight, and could have easily won this.' The winning pair, playing together for the first time, picked up a cheque for £80,000.
