Devastating Accident on A228 Near Tonbridge
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded on Wednesday evening as three-year-old Ka Connors lost her life after a horse-drawn carriage she was in collided with a tipper truck near Tonbridge, Kent. The incident happened shortly after 6.25 pm on the A228 southbound carriageway, between Bandridges Road and Hale Street. The pony and trap were carrying Ka, her mother Rita, and her father Francie when a white DAF tipper truck struck the carriage. The pony was killed instantly, and Ka’s father did not survive the crash. Her mother remains critically injured and is undergoing brain surgery after being airlifted to a specialist hospital.
Driver Arrested as Police Investigate
The 29-year-old truck driver was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody. Kent Police have launched an urgent appeal for witnesses or anyone with information about the truck or the horse and trap before the crash to contact them on 101.
Tributes Flood In from Family and Community
Celebrity Big Brother winner Paddy Doherty spoke out, describing the tragedy as a “travesty.” He said:
“A cousin of mine went for a drive on a back road. He’s driving his cart down the road with his wife and his little child in the middle. They are driving along and out comes a juggernaut and runs into him. Kills the horse, kills young Francie and kills the little baby, 3 years of age. The mum is critically ill in hospital. They brought her in a helicopter to another hospital for brain surgery. Please see it in your heart and soul and pray she pulls through it.” “She still has three little boys but her husband is dead. The girl is a little princess. I pray to God that he will leave the mother behind. I hope the police get to the bottom of it.”
Community Mourns Loss and Calls for Justice
The grief-stricken family have lost a father and daughter and fights to save the mother, while the pony that was part of their family also died at the scene. The local community is rallying around them in this tragic time. Anyone with information is urged to contact Kent Police on 101.
