Book of condolence opens for little Kayden

By Q Radio news

A book of condolence has opened for little Kayden Fleck who lost his life after falling into a river in Ballymena at the weekend.

The five year old - who was a twin - fell into the Braid on Saturday afternoon and later passed away in a Belfast hospital.

A book of condolence has opened at Harrville Primary school, where Kayden and his brothers were pupils. 

(Principal of Harryville Primary School, Lesley Meikle)

Kayden's parents have said he was "your average wee boy" who "just melted your heart."

The whole Borough has been plunged into grief at the tragedy.

Five-year-old Kayden was swept by the Braid for around five miles after entering the water on Saturday afternoon.

Paramedics say he was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, following a major search operation.

Sean McCarry is the Regional Commander for the Community Rescue Service.

He's told Q Radio the boy was carried some distance in the swollen river before he was rescued.

Kayden with twin brother, Jayden.

He said teams had worked closely with the police, fire service and air ambulance during the multi-agency response.

He said: "He got swept away quite fast with it, he was travelling quite a distance.

"He was doing a mile in under 15 minutes."

Mr McCarry said rescuers were "running desperately" after the boy, while a police helicopter observed from above and reported any sightings.

"The police were co-coordinating and telling us where we needed to go to next and we were just trying to get ahead of him in the river," he said.

"Eventually that happened and he was pulled out of the river and put into the air ambulance."

The youngster spent more than 45 minutes in the water and travelled a minimum of four miles down the river, Mr McCarry said.

Inspector Shaf Ali of the PSNI said: "I would like to thank everyone involved in the search effort and extend my sincerest condolences to the family at this time."