One of pals killed in Tyrone crash had become a father at Christmas

By Claire McNeilly

William Crawford (27), from Ballymena, and William North (24), from Cookstown were killed when their Renault Clio struck a lorry on the Dungannon Road, Cookstown, on Monday.

Mr Crawford, who was a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene. He had become the father of a baby boy on Boxing Day.

Speaking shortly after a post-mortem was carried out yesterday, a friend of Mr Crawford's mother said she last saw her son a few days before the accident.

"She is utterly distraught," he said, asking not to be named.

"As distraught as any mother in her situation would be."

A service for Mr Crawford will take place this morning at James Henry Funeral and Monumental Services in Ballymena at 11.30.

Mr North is due to be buried tomorrow.

The young men, who lived in Cookstown and worked locally as chefs at the Royal Hotel, were on their way to East Tyrone College - where they studied catering together - when they died.

Hotel owners Stephen and Iris Thom last night extended their sympathy to the families of both young men.

"Everyone is totally in shock," said Mrs Thom.

"Our staff, our customers, the whole community are finding it hard to believe the news.

"They were both very good friends and very popular here. They studied catering on day release and they were going to college when the accident happened. They always went together."

Mr Jimmy Mullan, Principal at the Dungannon campus of East Tyrone College, said that staff and students were still reeling from the news.

"Both staff and students were shocked and stunned by the deaths," he said.

Head of Catering at the college, Mrs Suzanne Workman, described the young men as "fun characters who revelled in their work".

"They would never let you down and both were very highly regarded by staff and fellow students," she said.