COUNCIL PROBES GARDEN INCIDENT
Council probes garden incident
BY GEMMA MURRAY
gemma.murray@newsletter.co.uk
THE sister of an Omagh bomb victim has told of her anguish after being told to leave the Omagh memorial garden site by construction workers.
Carol Radford, 37, from Omagh, had been posing beside the new memorial stone for a photograph when she claims she was surrounded by construction workers and involved in an "exchange of words" which ended in her having to leave the garden.
Carol lost her brother Alan, 16, in the blast.
Last night a spokesman for Omagh District Council said the matter may be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
He said the council were "made aware by the main contractor that two members of the public entered the memorial garden site without authorisation".
He said: "The final construction works at the memorial garden are ongoing and, as such, the site remains a construction site which is not open to the public. This unauthorised entry is therefore a breach of site security and contravenes health and safety regulations.
"Staff at the construction site requested the persons to leave the site and an investigation into the incident is being carried out. The matter may then be reported to the Health and Safety Executive."
Carol said it was during her second visit to the garden with a Press photographer that the incident happened.
"I had just met the photographer when one of the workmen came along and said we were not allowed to be there," she said.
"I explained who I was and that my brother had been killed in the Omagh bomb and that I had been in the garden yesterday.
"I said I would also take full responsibility for my safety when on the site."
Carol said she had wanted a picture taken beside the inscription but "an exchange of words" developed.
BY GEMMA MURRAY
gemma.murray@newsletter.co.uk
THE sister of an Omagh bomb victim has told of her anguish after being told to leave the Omagh memorial garden site by construction workers.
Carol Radford, 37, from Omagh, had been posing beside the new memorial stone for a photograph when she claims she was surrounded by construction workers and involved in an "exchange of words" which ended in her having to leave the garden.
Carol lost her brother Alan, 16, in the blast.
Last night a spokesman for Omagh District Council said the matter may be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
He said the council were "made aware by the main contractor that two members of the public entered the memorial garden site without authorisation".
He said: "The final construction works at the memorial garden are ongoing and, as such, the site remains a construction site which is not open to the public. This unauthorised entry is therefore a breach of site security and contravenes health and safety regulations.
"Staff at the construction site requested the persons to leave the site and an investigation into the incident is being carried out. The matter may then be reported to the Health and Safety Executive."
Carol said it was during her second visit to the garden with a Press photographer that the incident happened.
"I had just met the photographer when one of the workmen came along and said we were not allowed to be there," she said.
"I explained who I was and that my brother had been killed in the Omagh bomb and that I had been in the garden yesterday.
"I said I would also take full responsibility for my safety when on the site."
Carol said she had wanted a picture taken beside the inscription but "an exchange of words" developed.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL10An/04
Published Date: 09-Aug-08
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