Ballymoney teenager's family '˜in bits' after scrambler crash death

A 15-year-old schoolboy who lost his life following a road crash in Ballymoney has been described as 'a friendly, sociable' young man.

Marcus Forsythe, a pupil at Ballymoney High School, died following a crash between the scrambler he was on and a car on the Taughey Road in Ballymoney on Saturday afternoon.

His school principal, Cynthia Currie, said he will be sadly missed by everyone at the school.

A family friend, Sandra Gibson, said she had known young Marcus his entire life.

“I’ve known him since he was a baby, and his mum and his dad and his sisters,” she said. “They are in absolute bits over this. He was like any other 15-year-old guy, he just loved life.”

Marcus was also an avid motoring hobbyist and was a member of the motoring club ‘NI car mania’ set up by Sandra.

She said: “Anywhere I went with the club, he came with me.

“Our car club is very family orientated so there would be different charities and things that we would raise money for. He would have taken photographs for us and he was really good at it. He enjoyed what he was doing.

“He would have done anything for anybody. He really was a brilliant young guy.”

The club are planning a special tribute to young Marcus for his funeral. Sandra explained: “We are planning a convoy with as many cars as we can get to follow the funeral cortege to help give him the send-off that he genuinely, genuinely deserves.”

She added: “We’re also going to hold an event in remembrance of him, and we are going to collect money for his mum and dad, to help with the funeral costs.”

In a statement, Ballymoney High School principal Mrs Currie said: “The whole school community of Ballymoney High School are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our valued Year 12 pupils Marcus Forsythe as a result of a road traffic accident at the weekend.

“Marcus was a friendly, sociable, fun loving young man who will be sadly missed by the pupils, staff and all in the Ballymoney High School community.

“Our sincerest sympathies go to Marcus’s mum and dad, sisters, family circle and close friends.”

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