Ballymoney: Toddler Noah McAleese dies in farm incident

Noah McAleese died after an incident at Rosepark Farm on Bravallen Road

A two-year-old boy who died after being hit by a tractor at Rosepark Farm near Ballymoney was Noah McAleese.

The NI Ambulance Service said that it received a 999 call about the incident at 12:32 GMT on Friday afternoon.

Paramedics were sent to the farm and the boy was taken to hospital in Coleraine, County Londonderry.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said it was working with police and the Health and Safety Executive following the incident.

Sinn Féin assembly member Philip McGuigan described the toddler's death as "devastating".

"It's hard to find words to describe the agony the family must be feeling," he said.

Democratic Unionist Party councillor Mervyn Storey said his thoughts and prayers were with Noah's family.

"When I heard of the incident this evening I could only but think as a grandfather myself how unbearable it would be to have to deal with such grief," he said.

Noah's father is a former player at Dunloy Cuchullain's GAA club. The club held a minute's silence before a game against Dungloe on Saturday.

A statement posted online from the club said: "Everyone at Dunloy GA+CC was deeply saddened to hear the tragic news yesterday of the sudden passing of Noah McAleese.

"Noah is the son of our former player Johnny and his wife Corrina. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the entire McAleese and Cassidy family circles at this very sad time."