Remembering the emergency service responders who died in service

Robin Neill died aged 39, leaving behind his wife, two young sons, and a devastated wider family

Robin Neill was a part-time firefighter who died 25 years ago trying to rescue a plumber from a well on a farm outside Ballymoney. On the 25th anniversary of his death his niece, BBC News NI journalist Sara Neill, speaks to his son Alan about Robin Neill's legacy.

"His pager could've gone off at any time of the day or night. It was a little pager with a red light and a beeping noise, and that was it. Everything got dropped and it was a dash to get to the station as quick as he could."

For families across Northern Ireland, dialling 999 is a call for help, but for those responding, each call-out has the ability to change their lives forever.

That sacrifice is the reason 9 September is designated as 999 Day.

On that day this year, the Duke of Cambridge was at the PSNI's Garnerville academy, paying tribute to the emergency services.

It's also the 25th anniversary of Robin Neill's death in a tragic accident. He was a part-time firefighter who, along with ambulance worker Alistair Barr, died trying to save someone else's life.

Plumber Derek Cushnahan was unconscious down a well on a farm outside Ballymoney. Robin and Alistair both tried to get him out, but all three lives were lost.

Three families left grief-stricken.

At just 39 years old, Robin left behind his wife, two young sons, and a devastated wider family.

Robin Neill's son Alan was 11 years old when his father passed away

Alan was just 11 when the landline rang to say his father had been in an accident, and Robin was in casualty.

He said: "It was even more of a shock because we were just thinking he'd maybe hurt his arm or sprained his ankle.

"We didn't know any more until mum got home from hospital and told us he'd died. That was the moment it hit us.

"You know it's happened and you feel dreadful at the time and for a good while after, but you don't really process it, you just start to continue on with your life and it just becomes a normal thing that's happened."

'It made me quite proud'

The day of Robin's funeral, the town of Ballymoney stood still. When big funerals take place, the phrase "the streets were lined with mourners" is used so often, but that's exactly what happened that day.

"That's one thing I definitely do remember," Alan said. "The minute we left our drive there were people lining the streets. They were both sides of the road, the whole way to the graveside.

"It made me quite proud, the number of people who turned out to pay their respects and appreciated what he had given."

Robin Neill's name is displayed on a plaque in Ballymoney Fire Station and a memorial at NI Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Lisburn.

Later that day, many of the same mourners would attend the funeral of ambulance worker Alistair Barr. The following day, Derek Cushnahan was buried.

Alan said: "There was a lot of help from friends and family after that, but there was also normal day-to-day life. I was back at school the next week and back at my youth club the week after.

"We just started to go back to a normal life, just without dad being there."

But every year the anniversary of the accident came round.

"It's always in the back of your mind coming up to it, and on the day I'm usually a bit more subdued and thinking about dad, and how my mum and brother are dealing with it too.

"We're all just trying to keep ourselves busy."

Keeping his memory alive

When Alan married in 2012, he chose to wear his dad's wedding ring, as another way of keeping Robin close - and now there is a new way of keeping his memory alive.

Alan explained: "My son Robin is 21 months. He's great, and we thought it was no better tribute than to continue the name.

"I think mum was delighted with that."

Robin's name is on a plaque in Ballymoney Fire Station, and a memorial at NI Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Lisburn. He's also remembered as part of the Andrew Carnegie Hero Fund Trust in Dunfermline.

"We're proud of dad," said Robin. "We're still devastated by what happened, but we're proud.

"It is important that we do appreciate that emergency service workers like dad and Alistair Barr risk their own lives every day to help preserve ours."